Our Son
by SilverKitsune2017
Summary: She had always pictured her child as having beautiful blue or lavender eyes. Instead, he had obsidian eyes, like his father. She and Sasuke had gotten stuck together during a blizzard and kept each other warm. After the war, Sasuke had left on a journey of redemption before she knew that she was pregnant. When he returned, Hinata told him the truth. "Sasuke, this is our son."
1. Chapter 1

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** This was a request from one of my most loyal readers, Andreia453. I do warn you that is going to start off bittersweet and there will be some angst. Hinata is going to have a tough time of it at first, but it will have a happy ending. If any of those things bother you, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, I hope you enjoy this story and reviews are always appreciated.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing and make no profit off of any of my stories.

Chapter 1

It wasn't supposed to be this way, Hinata thinks as she gazes down at the adorable face of her son. She had always pictured her children having beautiful blue eyes or the familiar lavender of her own Clan. Instead, her son had obsidian black eyes that were darker than a starless sky. Eyes that were all too familiar.

"Are you hungry?" Hinata asks as she rocks him in her arms protectively as she prepares to nurse him.

Anyone looking at this child would know immediately who his father was. While his hair was midnight blue and lacked his father's spiky texture, he had the same ivory cream colored skin. Seiko also possessed the same proud, aristocratic facial features as his father as well. Features that were far more associated with his father's Clan than her own.

She smiles as she notes that he did have her ears and smile. That and her disposition. He was such a carefree and happy child. There was a piece of her in him as well.

"Let's feed you and put you to bed. I really hope that you learn how to talk fast. It's getting a bit lonely with only Neji and Hanabi to talk to." She mumbles as Seiko nurses happily.

He was completely oblivious to the trouble that his mere existence caused. Hinata knew it wasn't his fault. He didn't choose who his father was. Unfortunately, most of the Leaf Village didn't see it that way.

They knew the truth. One day, there was a good chance that those eyes might turn ruby red like his father's did. The Sharingan ran in his blood. Well at least on one side of his family tree. She half hoped that he would take after her and get the Byakugan instead.

"I suppose I should visit more often, if you are really feeling that lonely. I do visits when I can, Hinata. I'm sorry. It's just that Uncle has people watching me nearly constantly. He knows that I sympathize with your situation." Neji says as he walks into the humble apartment that Hinata had purchased.

"I know. It's not your fault. You weren't the one that became Sasuke Uchiha's lover for one night and didn't think of the potential consequences." She whispers.

Neji sighs. He knew fully well what happened. While he was thankful that his cousin had spared him the graphic details, he knew more than enough to realize how Seiko came into existence.

The young Hyuga thought it was rather unfair that people were treating Hinata like a pariah because she had bore Sasuke a child. It wasn't as though she had planned on doing so. It was just unexpected things happened to people who were alone and about to freeze to death. One's survival instincts would kick in and they seek out whatever warmth they could find. It just happened that in their case that had been each other.

"That's no excuse. They're mostly upset because of who his father is and that you decided to keep Seiko. That and they actually think that you had any idea where Sasuke went after that night and were withholding important information from the Hokage. Madness. They'll come around eventually. Our Clan might not, but the rest of the village will." He assures her.

Hinata sighs and nods. She wanted to believe that. Truly, she did. Unfortunately, she did it. As she glances at Seiko's adorable face, Hinata couldn't help but remember what got her into this situation.

 _She had been on a mission with Team Eight in the Snow Country. They were going to try to strengthen the Leaf's alliance with that country. The good news is that they were successful. The bad news is just as they were leaving, a bad blizzard hit._

 _"Hinata, we have to take shelter from the storm. Can you use your Byakugan and find us a place?" Kiba asked._

 _"Yes! BYAKUGAN!" Hinata called out as her bloodline activated and she scanned their surroundings for a place to take shelter from the most brutal storm that she had ever seen in her life._

 _"Over there! About a mile from here. There is a series of caves. We can stay there!" Hinata exclaimed._

 _Her team nodded in agreement. Hinata smiled. She loved her team. No one could ask for a better Sensei than Kurenai or more supportive teammates than Kiba and Shino._

 _While they were on their way there, they were attacked by a group of hostile ninjas. Clearly, their intention had been to use the storm to their advantage during the fight. The battle that ensued was intense. Eventually, Hinata had been going to defend one of her teammates, when one of the other ninjas ambushed her._

 _"GENTLE FIST!" She called out and was rather gratified to see it worked._

 _Unfortunately, so had the trap that ninja had been planning. She had lost her footing on the edge of a cliff. Hinata felt herself fall and she screamed. So did her teammates._

 _"HINATA!" Kiba, Kurenai, and Shino cried out in horror._

 _It was too late though. She fell. Hinata wasn't sure what happened after that exactly, but she knew that she lost consciousness. The next thing she remembered was waking up in a cave and she felt strangely warm considering the fact that she could see outside the cave, the blizzard had only gotten worse._

 _"I wouldn't bother trying to move. You won't get far." She heard a familiar silky voice call out to her._

 _That's when Hinata noticed that she was tied up. Her hands and even feet were tightly bound together by a purple rope or maybe it was a bizarre belt. Actually, she wasn't quite sure and decided that it didn't matter what Sasuke had used to tie her up. What mattered is that he did._

 _"Why?" She whispered simply, knowing that he was more than intelligent enough to know what she was really asking._

 _"You mean why haven't I killed you? I have no reason to. You've never done anything to me and I'll ensure that you won't tell the Leaf that you saw me." Sasuke said simply._

 _Hinata blinked. She could hear the sincerity in his voice. Sasuke might be an S Class Criminal now, but he wasn't a ruthless killer. Oh he wanted to kill, but his rage was only focused on one person. Itachi._

 _"Thank you." She mumbled._

 _She knew that while she was unconscious, he could have killed her with ease. Even now, he still could. Somehow though, she doubted that he was going to change his mind._

 _"You're different than most of them. Normally, this is the part where people beg for their lives, try to reach me with a heartfelt speech, or threaten me. I guess I should be grateful that at least one Leaf Villager has manners." He said as he walked over to her._

 _Hinata didn't know what to say to that. Apparently, a response wasn't required. Sasuke was holding a canteen of water to her lips and tilting it just enough that she could drink, if she wanted to. So she did._

 _First, he hadn't killed her when he could have. Now, he was giving her water? That didn't make sense with what little she knew about him. Granted, the vast majority of it was secondhand knowledge, but still._

 _"When the storm dies down, I'll leave. Once I'm far enough away, Garuda will undo your bindings and you can go find your team. I know that they are nearby. You wouldn't have traveled into the Snow Country alone and I heard their screams. They're worried about you." Sasuke mused._

 _"Alright. Thank you. Who is Garuda though?" She asked._

 _"He's my hawk Summon. His talons will cut through those bindings with ease. Don't worry. He has exceptional control of them. He can slice you to ribbons or not leave a single mark on your pretty skin. It's entirely up to me, which he chooses. So don't try anything stupid." He told her._

 _Hinata didn't know what stunned her more. The fact that he had a hawk Summon or that he had just called her skin pretty. Maybe it was just an expression though._

 _"Al-right." She stammered a bit nervously._

 _The next day, Hinata noticed something was wrong. The storm wasn't dying down. They were snowed in, but Sasuke had fire chakra. He could have burned through it easily._

 _There was only one logical reason why he hadn't done so. Sasuke was low on chakra. Extremely low._

 _"If you undo my bindings, I can transfer you chakra." She offered._

 _"So you figured it out. I don't know if I want to do that. You've been rather well-behaved, but you've also been restrained. I know enough about your abilities to realize that you can suck out chakra. If you hit zero chakra, you die. I'm already too close to that to allow you a chance to drain me." Sasuke muttered._

 _"I wouldn't drain the chakra of a man who saved my life." Hinata said._

 _Sasuke raised an eyebrow. It looked like he was debating on whether or not, he should take her at her word. Eventually though, he strides over to her and with one swing of his sword, frees her._

 _"Don't make me regret that." He said._

 _Hinata nodded. She transferred him the chakra, but that's when they encountered another problem. If either of them melted the snow, there was a chance it could cause an avalanche. So they decided to wait it out._

 _A few days pass and it was obvious that the snow was taking its sweet time melting. Sasuke was considering, risking melting it anyway. That was until he saw that Hinata's lips were turning blue._

 _"Hinata, you're going to freeze to death. Come, sit closer to the fire." Sasuke said and the blunette shyly moved over to him._

 _Once it became apparent that Hinata was not getting suitably warmed up, Sasuke decided to take action. Before the Hyuga woman realized what was going on, he was kissing her and reaching for her jacket._

 _She was so stunned that he had kissed her, that she kissed back. If Hinata had ever thought about kissing him before, she knew that this would have been different than she had expected. His lips were warm and slightly rough, but his kiss started off rather gently. More a brush of the lips than anything._

 _She suspected that was because he wasn't entirely sure, if she was going to protest. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she idly notes that his kisses tasted like chocolate and red wine. The kiss changed, once he realized she was kissing back._

 _"Hinata, if I try to melt that snow, it might trigger an avalanche. If we stay here though, there's a decent chance one or more of us could freeze to death. Do you want me to risk it, risk freezing to death, or to keep each other warm?" He asked._

 _Hinata felt herself blush. At least he had the decency to be tactful about it, which was more than she would have expected even a few days ago. He was right though. Their choices were limited. Risk an avalanche, freezing to death, or keeping each other warm._

 _"The last one, if you don't mind." She whispered._

 _Sasuke smiled. The rest of their time in that cave was spent getting to know each other in every sense of the word. It was a tangle of limbs, heated moans, and a flurry of sensations that she had never felt before._

 _He had been surprisingly gentle. It had been a gentle seduction. Sasuke was a rather attentive lover and shockingly eager to please. Idly, Hinata thought it might be a matter of pride. Even in sex, he couldn't resist showing off._

 _Eventually, the snow melted. She heard her teammates call out for her in the distance. The two of them quickly dressed and Sasuke darted off, after promising that he would find her. He would find her, after he killed Itachi._

"I hope so. None of this is Seiko's fault." Hinata says.

"He's adorable, Hinata. That's not a word that I ever thought that I would associate with the son of Sasuke Uchiha, but it's true. He'll win them over eventually. I'm more worried about you." Her cousin tells her.

"I'll be fine. I have you, Hanabi, and Seiko." Hinata says with a smile as she notices that her son had fallen asleep.

Meanwhile at the Hokage's office, Hiashi Hyuga was not a happy man to put it mildly. He couldn't believe that Kakashi was trying to insert himself into his family affairs like this. The man had absolutely no right to do so!

"Hinata knowingly gave herself to a criminal and got pregnant. Getting pregnant outside of marriage would have been shameful enough, but we could have overlooked it. Getting pregnant by a criminal is even worse, but by Sasuke Uchiha? Even if he weren't psychotic, he's an Uchiha. We have no idea what that child is going to be capable of in a few short years. The bloodlines have been mixed." Hiashi fumes.

"It's understandable that you are upset. Anyone would be in your position. Unfortunately, your fury is not helping the situation. Hinata is a good woman. She just got caught up in the moment and didn't want to terminate her pregnancy. Should you really punish your daughter for having strong maternal instincts and an innocent baby because of who his father is?" Kakashi asks.

The silver haired Hokage felt bad for Hinata's situation. The poor girl had been mortified when she tried to explain to him what had happened. From what he had been able to gather, they had both gotten caught in a blizzard and ended sleeping together to stave off freezing to death. It was an old, but effective tactic.

He was surprised that Hinata had chosen to carry the pregnancy to term though. The ninja had to know what would happen. Her Clan was going to shun her and her reputation in the village would likely never be the same.

Apparently, Hinata didn't care or she was more concerned about Seiko than herself. If nothing else, she did possess a quiet courage. He didn't know what he would have done, if he had been in her place.

"He might be an innocent baby now, but the Curse of Hatred runs in that Clan's veins. He'll end up a monster, just like the rest of that Clan. You watch. I can understand your reluctance to do what needs to be done, but at the very least I hope you see reason. Do not allow that boy to enroll in the Ninja Academy when the time comes. Perhaps if he isn't trained in how to be a ninja, he might not be the death of us all." Hiashi reasons.

Kakashi sighs. This definitely wasn't going the way that he had hoped it would. While he felt sympathetic towards Hinata, he knew that favoring her or her child would spook the village. He had to tread very carefully.

"That is not your decision to make. Hinata is his mother and legal guardian. Perhaps under Clan Law, you might have been able to make that decision for Hinata as you are the Head of the Hyuga Clan. You can't claim that authority over her anymore though and you know it." The Hokage begins.

"I know that legally, I don't have the right to prevent him from entering the Academy. Surely, you must see it though. You must see that allowing him to enter the Academy would be flirting with disaster. That is a Cursed Clan. You know it as well as I do." The lavender eyed man says.

Kakashi tries his best not to twitch. He couldn't let his personal feelings interfere. Seiko was the son of one of his former students. There was a certain degree of attachment, that garnered. It made him biased towards the boy and that was a very dangerous feeling to indulge in.

"Whether you view the Uchiha Clan as cursed, is irrelevant. You decided to disown her. She is no longer under your authority. You waved any sort of legal rights towards that child, the second you abandoned her and your grandson. He may or may not enter the Academy, but that is HER decision and not yours." The CopyCat ninja informs him with more than a little steel in his voice.

Hiashi seethes. He had a pretty good idea what was likely going on. Sasuke had been Kakashi's student. The Hokage likely still held a soft spot for the man because of that. That tenderness also appeared to extend to Sasuke's son.

"I am not trying to be cruel. I am merely suggesting a humane solution to all of the potential issues that may arise later on." He says.

"Other than Sasuke, Seiko is the last person on this planet that naturally might be able to manifest the Sharingan. Sasuke has many enemies. Once they find out that he has a biological child, it's likely that Seiko will have a target on his back. You are asking me to leave that boy essentially defenseless. Hiashi, there is very little difference between that and asking me to execute him for the crime of having the "wrong" father." Kakashi snaps at him.

The Hyuga Patriarch blinks. He hadn't thought about that aspects of Seiko's life. Kakashi was right. As a practical matter, not training the boy was as good as killing him.

He sighs and bites his lower lip. Hiashi was always conflicted. On one hand, Seiko was his grandson. On the other hand, Seiko was Sasuke's son. He didn't really know if the boy would end up taking after his father or Hinata's side of the family tree. It was a huge risk and he didn't like risks.

"Very well. I believe that I have voiced my thoughts on the matter quite clearly. I do hope that you will consider what I have said." Hiashi states, before departing.

Meanwhile in the Land of Tea, Sasuke was still on his Journey of Redemption after the war. He didn't know what to do with himself now. Most of his life had been dedicated to avenging his family against the monster who had butchered his entire family. That goal had all been an illusion though.

Itachi had actually been a hero. He had put the needs of the ninja world as a whole, above those of his family. It was an impossible decision to make, but he had made it. His elder brother had somehow ensured that he was spared. Mostly because of his age. If Sasuke had been a few years older, he wasn't entirely certain that would have been the case.

"Did you hear the rumors?" Sasuke overhears someone ask their friend.

At the moment, Sasuke was at a bar. He wasn't much of a drinker. He didn't believe in dulling his senses for any unnecessary reason, but he was hungry and they did serve food. The location had been nearby and so he decided to go inside.

"About the hybrid?" The second man replies.

Sasuke was wearing his traveling cloak and he had a hood drawn over his face. He wanted to remain anonymous whenever possible while on this journey. It made things easier and he believed that good deeds counted more, when you weren't taking credit for them.

The last Uchiha notes that the first man was definitely a civilian. He had sandy blonde hair, blue eyes, a medium build, and was likely in his 30's. He as fairly certain that he had heard the other man call him Kenji.

"Yeah. I've heard the rumors. I don't put any stock in them though. It just seems so fantastical. You know how fanatic that Clan is about protecting their bloodline." The first patron says.

The second man was also a civilian. Long red hair and chocolate brown eyes. He was a large man, probably in his late twenties. Sasuke was almost certain his name was Tai.

"Yeah. It's hard to believe. Then again, it makes sense. Itachi Uchiha was one tough customer. Sasuke might have wanted a little insurance that his Clan wouldn't die out, if things didn't go the way he wanted. If it is true, gotta give the man this much. He has good taste. That little Hyuga Princess is VERY easy on the eyes." Tai replies.

Sasuke was damn grateful for the hood at that point. He was pretty sure that he was gaping like a fish. It couldn't be true, could it?

Yes, he and Hinata had been together. He had just assumed that she was using The Jutsu, like most female ninjas. It had been intimacy, risking an avalanche, or freezing to death. Given those three options, Sasuke had decided having sex with a beautiful woman was definitely the most appealing of the choices presented to him.

"How much do I owe you?" Sasuke asks the bartender.

"Here's the bill." He replies and Sasuke examines it.

He quickly counts out the required money and leaves. The raven haired ninja had to get back to the Leaf as soon as possible. He bites his lower lip as he considered whether or not it was true.

It COULD be possible. After all, he had been intimate with her and he hadn't seen her use The Jutsu. He certainly hadn't traveled with any contraception on him. The odds that Hinata was going around and bragging about their time together seemed low. If she had gotten pregnant though, there wouldn't have been any hiding it.

"I have to find out." Sasuke says as he races back towards the Leaf.

Originally, he had every intention of trying to come back after killing Itachi. He had intended to come back to the village of his birth and to try to start over. Maybe to start over with Hinata.

Sasuke had never really paid all that much attention to the opposite sex before that night. His main goal was to kill Itachi. After that, then he'd worry about Clan Restoration. Besides, most of the female ninjas that he had met were either psychotic, annoying, or taken.

"They do say it's always the quiet ones though." He muses.

That had certainly been true in his case. It had been an easy matter to overlook Hinata at the Academy. He had other things on his mind and she tended to be quite content to fade into the background.

She was just so quiet and shy, especially compared to her more aggressive female classmates. He had known that they were classmates and that she was a Hyuga. That was about it really.

"I'll start with Naruto. If Hinata really did have a baby, he would know. This way and this saves me a trip to the Hokage's Office." He mutters as the Leaf finally came to view and he races towards Naruto's house.

A few minutes later, the Uchiha was pounding at the door. Naruto opens it and blinks. That was a bad sign. That wasn't how Naruto should react to seeing him.

The loser should be ecstatic that Sasuke was home. Isn't that what the idiot had wanted for years? For him to conqueror his internal demons and come home?

"Hey, bastard. It's good to see you." Naruto says as he tries to force a grin.

Sasuke didn't buy it for a minute though. For a ninja, his former teammate was a horrible actor. He just couldn't hide the emotions that were flicking all across his face.

Shock, happiness, and more than a little fear. That last part threw Sasuke for a loop. Naruto had never been afraid him before, not even at his worst.

"Thanks. Judging by that look on your face though, something is going on. We need to talk now." Sasuke says as he walks right into Naruto's house before the blonde could protest.

Sasuke wasn't going to give him a chance to do so. He needed to find out if it was true. He needed to know if Hinata had really gotten pregnant from their night together.

"Uh oh. Um bastard, maybe you should sit down for this." Naruto says and Sasuke wisely sits down.

"You better tell me everything. I was in the Land of Tea when I overheard two civilians talking. They seem to think that Hinata and I, have a kid together." Sasuke says.

Naruto gulps. He had been dreading this day for awhile now. Honestly, he didn't know how to feel about the situation. He couldn't help but feel like Hinata had known more about Sasuke's whereabouts than she had let on. So in a way, he felt betrayed. Still Hinata was his friend and so was Sasuke.

Sasuke wanted a family more than anything. So there was a chance that he might be overjoyed. There was also the chance that he might be enraged that the Leaf had kept this a secret from him, even though no one had been able to contact him while he was on his journey of redemption.

"Yeah. About that, I'm still not really sure what happened with you two. Do you want to explain that part?" Naruto asks.

"Oh I'm sorry. You seem to think that was a request. Naruto, you had better tell me the truth. You had better tell me right now or so help me, I will Chidori you. I'll Chidoroi you where NO man wants hit. Got it?" Sasuke says as his Sharingan and Rinnegan activate.

The blonde gulps. Oh yeah. This was bad. Apparently, they were just going to dive right into it.

"It's true. I still don't know what happened with you two, but it was shortly after the War when we found out. You had already left on your journey. I mean I guess I know what ended up happening. You must have been WITH her, before you killed Itachi. That's the only way the timeline matches up. Don't be a bastard to her. She's gone through a lot since the war." Naruto tells him.

Sasuke frowns. He wasn't exactly sure what _**a lot**_ entailed, but it didn't sound good. He was getting the impression that Hinata had faced more than the usual challenges of parenting and "single motherhood." He had a bad feeling about this.

"Everyone knows that child is mine. Did her Clan disown her for mixing the bloodlines?" Saskue asks.

"Before I answer that, I want you to promise that you won't do anything crazy." Naruto replies.

The eldest Uchiha twitches. He knew what that meant. Yes. She had been disowned. Hinata had probably been shunned because she had chosen to have their baby. There were few things worse than being disowned by your own Clan. That was just psychological torture. That wasn't even factoring in the more practical aspects of such a punishment, particularly financial ones.

"I'm not going to promise that. So they disowned her. I'm going to have to talk to Hinata and that cult that dares to call itself a family. Tell me more though. Is my child healthy? Is Hinata okay?" Sasuke demands.

"Yeah. The kid is healthy. Cute little thing too. I guess they take more after Hinata than you. Your child is really sweet. That poor baby has no idea what is going on. I'm not going to lie. I should have been there for her more. I just really thought that she knew where you were." Naruto says with a sigh.

"You're an idiot. Do you really think that I would tell my lover where I was going to find my brother? At the time, I thought he was a ruthless Clan Slayer. I didn't want Hinata anywhere near him or the Leaf to try to find me." Sasuke says with a heavy sigh.

The blonde gulps again. Oh yeah. This could end badly. He wasn't entirely sure what he should say. What could he say?

"Well we know the truth about Itachi now. Back then though, I can see why you would think that way. Anyway, what are you going to do now?" The other ninja asks cautiously.

"I'm going to talk to Hinata. I'm going to see my child and I'm going to make Hiashi Hyuga wish that he had never been born for what he did to my family. I won't kill him. That'd be too easy." Sasuke says with a smirk.

The Jinchuuriki mentally panics. This was really not good. While he was sure that Sasuke was sincere about not wanting to kill Hiashi, he knew that the eldest Uchiha wasn't bluffing. This might very well get ugly and fast.

"Bastard, don't cause trouble. Hinata, has already suffered enough." Naruto says.

Sasuke frowns. He realized that Hinata must have been turned into something of a pariah for becoming his lover and having their son or daughter. Not only had she been disowned by the Clan, but God only knows how the rest of the Leaf Village was treating the former "Hyuga Princess."

"I'm not going to be cruel to Hinata. She's the mother of my child. She deserves respect. Her father though is an ENTIRELY different matter." Sasuke says as he darts off to find Hinata, leaving Naruto to fret over inevitable chaos that was clearly about to strike the Leaf Village.

God help them all. "Daddy" was home and he was furious. Naruto could only hope that Sasuke wouldn't do anything too stupid as he heads towards the Hyuga Estate. The very least that he could do to prevent a potential bloodbath was warn Hiashi that Sasuke was likely going to be coming to "visit" him soon.

"Oh man. I really gotta warn Hiashi." Naruto says as he races off towards the Hyuga Estate to warn him.

After that, Naruto had no idea what any of them were going to do. This was Sasuke. He had a habit of losing his temper on a good day and now he had a very legitimate reason to be angry. Someone had been cruel to his only child.

The blonde suddenly found himself very grateful for the fact that he was not named Hiashi Hyuga. The lavender eyed man was now the main target for all of Sasuke's rage. That was why Naruto wouldn't trade places with the Hyuga Patriarch for all the ramen in the world. This was going to be brutal.


	2. Chapter 2

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I think this is the first time that I've ever received this many reviews for a single chapter before. You all really made my day with them. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** The chapter focuses heavily on Sasuke's perspective. I will also be adding more about Uchiha Clan Culture. These parts of the story, may or may not be cannon. They are just based on my interpretation of how your "average Uchiha" would feel about various topics or what daily life was like in the Uchiha District before the Massacre.

 **Baby Development Fact:** I looked this up. According to the Internet, baby will probably learn to sit independently between the ages of 4 and 7 months.

Chapter 2

Sasuke frowns as he realizes he didn't really know where Hinata would be. She certainly wasn't going to be at the Hyuga Estate. It was rather obvious that Naruto hadn't taken her in. That fact infuriated him on principle, but he would deal with the loser later. For now, his sole focus was on finding Hinata and his child.

"I'll just ask Sakura." He mutters to himself.

He could go back and ask Naruto, but Sasuke didn't want to do that. The eldest Uchiha knew that there was a very good chance delivering the beating of a lifetime to his friend, if he doubled back to ask the blonde where Hinata was. So that meant that he was going to have to ask Sakura.

The Uchiha flits off towards the medic's home and knocks on her door. Sasuke wasn't particularly eager to see his former teammate, but he didn't really have a choice. Sakura would know where Hinata was and that was what was most important. That meant that he would endure a reunion with Sakura.

"Sasuke?" Sakura asks in a stunned voice only a moment or two later.

Sakura had answered almost immediately. She was a ninja. Reacting quickly to your environment could be the difference between life or death. So perhaps it was to be expected.

"Sakura, where's Hinata? Naruto told me everything. I need to find her. I know that she's not at the Hyuga Estate and I'm betting that you know where she is staying now." He says.

Sakura bites her lower lip. She had always known that Sasuke could be rather abrasive, but the pink haired woman had thought that he would at least say hello first. Then again, Sasuke had just found out he had a child that he never knew about. Of course, he was going to want to see his son immediately. It was only natural.

"Sasuke, come inside. I'm sure that there is a lot that Naruto didn't tell you, that you still need to know." She says.

The raven haired Uchiha clenches his fist so hard that he could feel his fingernails digging into his skin as he tried to control his temper. Sakura was only trying to help. She was probably right. He SHOULD take a few moments to collect himself, but it really wasn't that easy.

Ever since he was a boy, Sasuke had wanted his family back. Now he had a child. A child that he didn't even know about until today. He couldn't help but feel guilty.

Sasuke should have been there for Hinata while she was pregnant. He certainly should have been there for his son or daughter when she or he was born. He was a complete stranger to his own son or daughter and that thought horrified him. Sasuke felt like a complete failure as a father. He didn't even know if he had a son or daughter.

"Alright." Sasuke says through gritted teeth.

His instincts were screaming at him to just force Sakura to tell him where Hinata was by any means necessary. The pink haired woman was strong though. She definitely wasn't that weak girl who had been in "love" with him as a child anymore.

She was now a grown woman and one of the strongest ninjas in the Five Nations. That didn't mean he couldn't end her, if he wanted to though. He could squash her like a bug. Sasuke just wasn't going to do so because it would be wrong. He wouldn't do it. He wasn't like that anymore.

"Great. Why don't you have a seat on the couch and we can talk? Can I get you anything? Tea or something to eat, maybe?" Sakura asks as she mentally sighs in relief.

He was trying to be a better person. Violence shouldn't be his first solution to everything. It should be his second or third solution, at least.

That and Sakura was Sasuke's former teammate. That should mean something. He couldn't hurt her for being reasonable. It was just that the eldest Uchiha was feeling anything but reasonable at the moment.

"If you don't want tea, I have other options, but I really think it would be a bad idea for you to drink sake before going to see them. There's always water though." The pink haired woman tries once more to play the part of a good hostess.

That had been a close one. She still didn't know how to react to Sasuke these days. He had helped them win the war and he had seemed sincere about wanting redemption. The medic would be lying though, if she said that she didn't view him as a dangerous predator.

He wasn't the same boy that she had thought she was in love with at the Academy or even on Team Seven. As an adult, Sakura could be honest with herself and admit that he might never have been the boy that she thought he was. She had probably built up an idealized version of him in her head. The real Sasuke was a beautiful, but deeply wounded creature.

"Alright and no, thank you. I don't want anything to eat or drink. I want to know where Hinata is. I want to know where my son or daughter is." Sasuke informs her.

Sakura sighs. She had stopped deluding herself shortly after he had almost killed her. Sasuke didn't love her. He never did and he probably never would. She wasn't going to be the one to heal those wounds. Seiko was.

"I promise that I will tell you where they are, but first I want you to calm down. If you just barge in while your feelings are still so raw, it might not end well. Don't forget, you aren't the only one who is likely confused. There's no guarantee that Hinata will be happy to see you." The medic warns him.

Sasuke winces at that. Sakura was right. He had no way of knowing how Hinata would react to him. That was unexpectedly painful and not just because of the fact they had a child together.

He didn't know if he loved her. Sasuke wasn't entirely certain he was capable of romantic love anymore, but Hinata was his lover. She was his ONLY lover.

On some level, her opinion _**did**_ matter to him. Not just because Hinata was the mother of his child, but because she was Hinata. Itachi was gone now. That meant that Hinata was the only living person that he knew, that hadn't tried to change him. She had just accepted him for what he was.

"You're right. Has she said anything to you about me? Don't lie to me. I'll know if you are lying. You're a really bad liar. You always have been." Sasuke says.

His mind flashed back to those few nights in that cave. Sasuke wasn't entirely certain why he had let his guard down around the former Hyuga Heiress. He had even gone so far as to free her from the restraints.

"Am I really that bad of a liar?" Sakura asks in amusement.

That had been foolish. Hinata could have ended him with ease. All she would've had to do was drain even the smallest trace of his chakra. It was a good thing that Kakashi had once warned him about what happened, if you used all your chakra. You died.

"I don't know who is a worse liar. You or Naruto. Naruto because he's hardwired to tell the truth and you because you have so many tells that it's unbelievable. Tell me the truth. Has she said anything about me? I'd like to know what I'm about to walk into." Sasuke half pleads and half commands.

Sasuke would have been dead at least a hundred times over by now without that warning. The Uchiha man was no stranger to pushing his body to its physical limits. Most ninjas weren't, but he and Naruto had always been in a league of their own in that regard.

The memories of those few nights continued to dance across his mind's eyes. He could remember everything with crystal perfect clarity. It was as if they were burned into his memory with an intensity that few other memories were. He knew that as long as he lived, Sasuke would never forget those few days.

 _"Why?" She whispered and Sasuke instinctively knew what she was asking._

 _There was no need for elaboration. Hinata wanted to know why he hadn't killed her. From her perspective, he was probably a vicious monster. A traitor to his own village and she was a threat. It didn't make sense that she was still breathing._

 _He couldn't blame her for being confused. Sasuke knew that if their roles were reversed, he certainly would have been confused. It was only natural that his actions would baffle the Hyuga Heiress._

 _"You mean why haven't I killed you? I have no reason to. You've never done anything to me and I'll ensure that you won't tell the Leaf that you saw me." Sasuke said simply._

 _Hinata blinked. The raven haired ninja noticed it and watched as several emotions flickered through those beautiful lavender orbs. Fear, shock, and finally acceptance. She had accepted his answer at face value. Something very people did._

 _"Thank you." She mumbled._

 _She was definitely smarter than most Leaf Villagers, he mused. Hinata didn't badger him with most questions. She wasn't begging for her life. Nor was she trying to drag him back to the Leaf. He didn't really know how to react to a sane person anymore. She was an endangered species._

 _"You're different than most of them. Normally, this is the part where people beg for their lives, try to reach me with a heartfelt speech, or threaten me. I guess I should be grateful that at least one Leaf Villager has manners." He said as he walked over to her._

He had meant it then and Sasuke still meant it now. She WAS different from most of the Leaf Village. Hinata didn't seem to judge anyone. She just accepted them for who they were, even if they were like him. Completely lost.

"I guess that's fair. Honestly, I've never really been that close to her. I've never had a problem with Hinata. It's just that she's so shy and quiet. That's probably why she hasn't been very forthcoming with any details about what happened between the two of you." The pink haired woman says.

Sasuke frowns. He knew that Sakura was being honest. Hinata was by nature, a rather shy person. She definitely hadn't been shy THAT night though. Despite that, it didn't surprise him that Hinata had decided to keep the more scandalous details of their relationship a secret.

Sasuke wasn't even sure if relationship was the right word. They were lovers, but it had only been one night. Apparently, one night was enough for a Clan revival though.

"I think it's rather obvious what happened to us. You're a medic now. You know how women get pregnant." Sasuke says with more bite than he intended.

Damn it. This being a better person thing was going to take a lot of work. Whenever he felt uncomfortable or too comfortable, he would revert back to being a "bastard." Well at least that's what Naruto called him and Sasuke couldn't dispute the accuracy of the label.

"Sasuke, now is really not the time for sarcasm." Sakura chides him gently.

"Maybe not. It's a lot to take in though." Sasuke says as he rubs his temples.

It was a pathetic attempt to advert what was likely going to bloom into a stress migraine. Sasuke rarely got headaches. When he did though, they were intense and almost always caused by stress.

"Of course, it is. It can't be easy going from being alone to finding out that you have a child. You know what I meant though. You've never really been one to seek out affection, particularly physical affection. So I guess everyone was just surprised when it turned out that you and Hinata ended up being together, even if it was only briefly." Sakura says.

Idly, Sasuke wonders if Sakura was jealous of Hinata or not. It didn't sound like it. There wasn't really much bitterness in her tone. It was more like confusion and wistfulness. Good. He really didn't want to deal with a one-sided love triangle.

"Oh believe me, we were just as surprised as everyone else. Since she didn't dispense any of the details, I'm not going to either." He says.

The Leaf didn't deserve to know about his time with Hinata. That was private. That was borderline sacred.

Itachi had sacrificed everything for this village. Sasuke still didn't know why, but he would respect his decision. Sasuke would protect the village. Mostly because of Itachi's final wishes, Naruto, Hinata, and for his child's sake. He couldn't lie though. If given the choice, he'd rather just take his new family far away from this place.

"Well you seem calm now. Maybe you should send a messenger hawk first. You know, it'd be nice if you gave her some warning. This is likely going to be very intense for the both of you." She says.

"If I did that, there is a chance she could run. I'm not going to do that. I want to see my son or daughter. Sakura, just give me the address. If you don't, I'll ask Naruto. He'll tell me." He warns her.

Sakura sighs and gives Sasuke the address. She knew that she didn't really have a choice. If she didn't tell him, it was likely he would go from door to door, until he found them.

"It's a boy, by the way. You have a son." She informs him.

"Thank you." Sasuke says with a smile as he disappears in a swirl of flames.

She hadn't seen him smile genuinely like that in years. It was a surreal experience to say the least. Sakura sighs and could only hope that somehow this would all work out.

Sakura knew one thing though. Nothing on this Earth was going to keep Sasuke away from his son. Poor Hinata was likely about to get the shock of her life.

Sasuke knocks on the door. He bites his lower lip as he anxiously waits for Hinata to open it. He anxiously waits for his lover to open the door, so that he could meet his son.

He was a father now. Sasuke had a child. He had a son. A son that he hadn't even known existed, before now.

The eldest Uchiha couldn't shake the surreal feeling that he was now experiencing. Part of him thought that this was all simply a dream. He'd wake up soon and none of this would be real. In his gut though, he knew that wasn't true.

"Sasuke?" Neji asks with wide eyes as he opened the door.

Sasuke blinks. He had been expecting Hinata, not her cousin. Then again, maybe the stoic Hyuga hadn't shunned her like most of Hinata'as family.

"Is Hinata here? I need to see her." He says.

"Clearly, you do. I'm not letting you in, until I know that you can control your temper." He says firmly.

Ah ha! That meant that Hinata was inside and it was highly like their son was as well. Why else would Neji be concerned about his temper?

"Neji, I appreciate you looking after her and my son. Let's not be delusional though. One way or another, I'm walking through that door and I'm going to see them. It's your choice whether you are in one piece when I do." Sasuke warns him through his lavender and ruby red gaze.

Neji Hyuga was many things. Stupid and suicidal wasn't one of them. When he saw the Sharingan and Rinnegan both aimed at him, he paused.

Sasuke could see his instincts were warring inside him.

On one hand, Neji wanted to "protect" his family members. On the other hand, it was a fight that he knew he would lose. Becoming a martyr was noble, but it wouldn't help them in the long run.

"Hinata, you have a visitor. It's up to you, if you want to see him or not." Neji calls out.

Sasuke hears someone coming and blinks when he sees Hinata. He really didn't know how she was going to react. It hadn't been intentional, but he had turned her into a pariah in her own village. Hinata would have good reason to hate him.

"Sasuke?" She whispers.

He wanted to apologize for not being there for her while she was pregnant. For not being there when their son was born. For not being there for his son. The eldest Uchiha wanted to apologize for causing her to be disowned from her Clan and for so many other reasons.

Unfortunately, Sasuke found that he couldn't find a way to form the words. He just nods his head dumbly in confirmation that it was him. He hadn't expected the mere sight of her to render him speechless.

"Hinata, do you want me to let him in?" Neji asks.

"I think that'd be a good idea. Neji, could you give us a few minutes alone?" She pleads with him.

Sasuke had kept his promise. He came back for her. Part of her was happy. The other part was terrified.

Hinata had no way of knowing how he would react to Seiko. He might launch into a rage that she hadn't told him that she was pregnant. Sasuke might also be angry that she had given Seiko his last name. Names were very important in ninja culture.

"Alright. I'll be in the guestroom. If you need anything, just call out for me." Neji tells her.

"I will. Thank you." She says as she shoots him a reassuring smile and the other Hyuga walks off towards the other room.

Sasuke had been the last Uchiha. Seiko had been the result of an unplanned pregnancy. She and Sasuke weren't married. They hadn't even been friends before they found each other in that cave. So yes, Hinata was absolutely terrified.

"Sasuke, there's something that I have to tell you. Please don't get angry." She begins.

Sasuke sighs. Wonderful. She was terrified. It was probably a wonder that she hadn't run away screaming as she tried to "save" their son from him. That wasn't a very promising start.

"Hinata, it's alright. I know. I heard a rumor during my travels and had to see for myself, if it was true." He tells her.

Sasuke supposed that he should count his blessings that she wasn't going to attempt to fight him. Neji and Sakura, he wouldn't hesitate to fight. Well as long as they attacked first. Hinata was different though.

Hinata was the mother of his child. He couldn't strike her. It would be wrong and he found himself positive that it would have been almost impossible for him to do so, even during training.

"You know about Seiko?" She asks in a voice barely above a whisper.

Uchihas men didn't fight with the mother of their children. Well naturally, they would have verbal spars with them occasionally. All married couples eventually had disagreements, but it almost never reached the level where physical violence occurred. In the rare event that did happen, the man was shunned. Sometimes even disowned.

The reverse was also true. His Clan had been one of the more egalitarian Clans when it came to men and women. A woman who would physically attack her husband was also shunned. Uchihas were bred for combat, but not against each other. (The major exception had obviously been the Uchiha Massacre, but even that hadn't been voluntarily carried out.)

"Seiko? Is that his name? You named him truth?" Sasuke asks in surprise.

Somehow that made the entire situation more real to him. He had known in his head that he had a son, but it hadn't fully registered in yet. Now that his son had a name, he was no longer an abstract concept. He was a real, live person.

"Yes, his name is Seiko. Do you l-ike it?" She stammers nervously.

"I'm not sure why you gave him a name that means truth, but I like it. It's a nice name." Sasuke says.

He wouldn't have argued over any name really. Sasuke was just stunned that this was really happening and he felt guilty that Hinata was obviously so nervous around him. She had good reason to be.

Her own family had shunned her. Why would she trust anyone else? It was only natural that she would be nervous.

"Thank you. I'm glad that you like it." She says and offers him a shy smile.

She had chosen to name him Seiko because she knew the truth. Sasuke wasn't a bad person. He was a good person that felt it was necessary to do bad things to do what he perceived as being right. Itachi had murdered his family. It was only natural that most people would want to punish their family's assassin.

Of course, Hinata didn't know the truth about Seiko's uncle. Right now, that didn't matter. What mattered was that Sasuke was here.

"I'm sorry." He whispers and walks over to Hinata, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

Hinata blinks. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but an apology wasn't it. The bluenette had hoped she would be wrong, but part of her thought that he would launch into a rage that no one had told him about Seiko. She certainly wasn't prepared for him to embrace her like that.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about. You didn't know." She murmurs as she allows him to continue hugging her.

"I should have guessed that it was at least a possibility. I shouldn't have assumed that you used the Jutsu. If I had known, I wouldn't have left." He promises her.

"I know. You didn't abandon him. You just didn't know. It's alright." She says as she leans into his embrace.

She was conflicted about how to feel towards him. Sasuke was capable of being a very tender lover, but he was also capable of leveling villages. There was a lot of blood on his hands. He wasn't a natural killer, but he was a killer nonetheless. Even by ninja standards, he was dangerous.

Her mind knew that. Hinata's body though was quite content to melt right back into his arms, as if he had never left. Her heart was just relieved. She was relieved that he apparently very much wanted to acknowledge their son. Hinata was relieved that he wasn't angry.

"It's not alright. I should have been there. You were disowned from your family because of me. All of this is because of me." Sasuke says as he glances around the rather tiny apartment.

It was big enough to suit Hinata's needs for now, he noted. There were apparently two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. It didn't look like there was anything else.

That was fine for now. It was fine for a single mother and one infant. That wouldn't be the case in a few years though. Seiko would grow and this place was going to be rather confining for a toddler or young child. They deserved better and he was going to give it to them.

"It's not your fault. I was willing and I should have thought to use the Jutsu. I don't regret it though. I wouldn't trade Seiko for anything. Not even my Clan. Someday, I hope they will come to accept my decision. It doesn't matter now though." She mumbles.

It hurt her. Her heart still ached at what she had lost. Her entire family, save for Neji and Hanabi, had shunned her. Most of the Rookies were in a state of shock or felt betrayed by her actions. Hinata had purposely stayed away from her team after she found out she was pregnant.

She didn't want them to be drawn into all of this. She missed Kurenai, Kiba, and Shino. The only time she saw them was on missions and even then, she tried to keep herself at arm's length from them.

"It does matter. They shouldn't have abandoned their own blood like that. I'm not going to forgive them for what they did to you and our son. May I see him?" Sasuke asks.

The fact that she was willing to speak with him was a good sign. Hinata seemed to be fine with his embrace. She wasn't returning it, but she was leaning into it. Maybe she did care for him as something more than the man who had kept her from freezing to death and had unwittingly fathered her child, after all.

"Alright. He's sleeping now though." Hinata says.

"I'll try not to wake him. When was he born?" The elder Uchiha inquires.

Hinata smiles. Sasuke did care. Well at least he cared about Seiko. He was asking when his birthday was. That was something, right?

"May 20th." She replies as leads Sasuke to her room.

Their son had been born in spring. Hinata thought it was rather poetic really. He had been conceived during the first blizzard of the year in October and born eight months later. Seiko had been born in May.

Seiko had been born early, but he had been a healthy weight. Hinata was fortunate in that way. Their son was perfectly healthy. She didn't know what she would have done, if that hadn't been the case.

"He was born early. Naruto said that he's healthy though?" Sasuke asks somewhat nervously.

"Yes, he's very healthy." Hinata assures him and Sasuke lets out a sigh of relief as they enter their room.

She shows him the crib. Hinata couldn't help but bite her lower lip nervously. Sasuke was responding well to Seiko in theory, but this would be the first time that he would actually see their child. Her heart was pounding as Sasuke glanced into the crib.

Sasuke blinks. He was so _little._ Sasuke mentally smacks himself for that thought. Of course, he was little. Seiko was only four months old.

"He has your hair." Sasuke says with a smile.

"Thank you. I know you can't see it now, but he has your eyes." Hinata offers shyly.

"Good to know. He definitely has my face. Your ears though." Sasuke muses as he gazes down in wonder at their son.

He was adorable. That wasn't a word that Sasuke often used. Hell, it was barely in his vocabulary. It fit though. Seiko was the most adorable infant that he'd ever seen.

He knew that he was probably being biased. There were a lot of cute babies in the world, but he was to Sasuke. He smiles as he notes that his son had definitely inherited the trademark Uchiha facial features.

"Mhm. He has my smile, but obviously you can't see that right now." She mumbles.

"He's beautiful, Hinata." Sasuke says as he kisses her cheek.

He probably shouldn't have done that. He really didn't even know what they were. They had been lovers for one night and now they had a son together, but that didn't mean that she wanted to be with him romantically.

Hinata was too kind to prevent him from seeing Seiko. The woman didn't have a cruel bone in her body and keeping a father from his son would be the height of cruelty. That didn't mean that he had any idea what was acceptable behavior towards her and what wasn't though. It was very confusing.

"Thank you. Once people see that you aren't a vicious criminal anymore, I think that everyone will agree that he's lucky that he took more after you in looks. In a few years, I imagine he'll be desperately trying to avoid all the Academy girls. Just like his father." Hinata says with a giggle.

"They were psychotic. Always giggling, trying to make me fat with chocolate, and they stalked me. It was annoying. I don't mind you giggling. You don't do it in a high pitched way that makes my ears feeling like they are bleeding, but it was annoying when they did it." Sasuke mutters as he crosses his arms defensively.

Hinata laughs. There was something very funny about seeing one of the most powerful ninjas in the world, sulking over fan girls from years ago. She wished that she had a camera on her so that she could take a picture of that look on his face. It was priceless.

"Maybe, they were a little overzealous." She concedes.

Sasuke's admirers had certainly been dedicated. It was a bit scary really. She used to have a crush on Naruto and maybe she had overdone it, but Sasuke's fan girls had been in a completely different league than her.

"A little?! Did you know that Karin tried to steal my toothbrush once?" Sasuke asks.

"What on Earth was she planning to do with your toothbrush?" Hinata asks in confusion.

"I don't know. That's the scary part." Her lover retorts and they both burst out laughing.

Seiko must have heard their laughing. His eyes opened wide and he pulls himself up. He was now sitting and staring at them with a pair of very familiar looking obsidian black eyes.

"You weren't kidding about his eyes." Sasuke says as he stares back it his son in a stunned fashion.

Seiko watches his mommy and the man she was with in confusion. He had never seen that man before. Who was he? He reaches out to investigate and that's when he tumbled over.

He wasn't too pleased about that. Seiko was still working on this whole holding himself up thing. He was about to cry to show his displeasure when Hinata scoops him up into his arms and cuddles him.

Seiko coos. He liked being held by mommy. She was nice and warm and used a funny, silly voice to calm him down whenever he was upset.

"Most children can start holding their heads up at 4-7 months. He's a bit of an early bloomer, but he can't do it for long yet though. Pretty soon, he'll be able to do it without tumbling over." She says with a smile as she rocks him.

"Good to know." Sasuke says with a smile as he looks down at the baby in Hinata's arms.

Seiko still didn't know who this man was. He was smiling though. So he assumed that he was a good big person. He coos happily and snuggles into Hinata's bosom more and tries to nurse.

The infant sulks when he realizes something was in his way. He didn't realize it was Hinata's shirt. Hinata looks embarrassed at the motion.

"I take it he's breastfed?" Sasuke asks in amusement.

"Well yes. It's supposed to be better for the baby. Though it's perfectly acceptable to feed them formula, I'm told this is ideal." She mumbles and blushes.

Sasuke tries not to laugh. He knew that it would probably only humiliate the beautiful woman who was so flustered. It was a close call though.

"I can't blame him for wanting to nurse. He's probably going to get rather spoiled though." Sasuke muses.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asks in confusion.

"Not every woman has breasts as exceptional as yours." Sasuke replies smugly.

Hinata felt her face burn hotly at that. She was positive that she was as red as one of Sasuke's beloved tomatoes. She couldn't believe that he had said that!

"Sasuke!" She shrieks in embarrassment.

"What? It's true." Sasuke says and he didn't even bother to hide his smirk.

It was fun to tease Hinata. Maybe this would work out. She didn't seem to have any problem letting him see Seiko. Maybe he could be a good father and if he was very lucky, maybe Seiko wouldn't be the only Uchiha who got to see Hinata's breasts on a regular basis.


	3. Chapter 3

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thank you for all the kind reviews. I wanted to clarify a couple of things. Sakura's role going forward, will be much smaller because the nature of her relationship with Sasuke has been explained and she isn't central to the plot. Seiko will also continue to give his unique perspective throughout the story. I view this as more compelling than just saying that he's happy, sad, hungry, etc. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** You will get to see snippets from a lot of people's perspectives in this chapter.

Chapter 3

Naruto pants when he finally arrives at the Hyuga Estate. He had never actually been there before. It was beautiful, but so cold. Everything about it was so perfect and inhuman, even the gardens.

"I have no idea, how Hinata didn't go insane here." He mutters to himself as he races towards the front entrance and begins pounding on the door.

Soon enough, a Hyuga opened the door. He stares at Naruto in confusion. The blonde couldn't blame him. It was highly unusual for anyone who wasn't a Hyuga to enter this place.

"I need to talk to Lord Hiashi, immediately! It's an emergency!" The young ninja thunders at the other man.

"Of course. Right away, Lord Naruto." The lavender eyed ninja says as he darts inside the building to retrieve the Hyuga Patriarch.

Naruto sighs in relief. Sometimes there were definitely some perks that came with being one of the saviors of the ninja world. This just happened to be one of them. People taking your word at face value.

He was positive that if anyone else had just barged in like that and demanded to see Hiashi Hyuga, the other man would have asked questions. He would have demanded an explanation. Thankfully, Naruto wasn't just anyone.

He was a war hero. That meant that he didn't have to face an informal interrogation. That was a very good thing because as powerful as Naruto was, he really didn't want to go through all that.

"Naruto, what brings you here? Tao, says that you wished to speak with me about an important matter?" Hiashi inquires a few moments later as he strides towards the blonde.

Naruto had never really put much stock in the whole nobility thing, but even couldn't deny that Hiashi Hyuga had a very regal air about him. His manner of walking, certainly resembled that of a King. Tall, proud, and graceful. The blonde felt like an absolute klutz in comparison.

"Yeah. Can we go somewhere private and talk?" Naruto asks.

"Of course. We can speak in my study. Follow me." Hiashi says as he turns around and heads down the hall.

Naruto sighs and follows him. This was going to be a long day. The fact that the Hyuga Estate was still in one piece was a good sign though. Sasuke hadn't been here yet. There was still time to warn him.

"Here we are." Hiashi says as he shuts the door behind them.

He wasn't entirely certain what had Naruto so panicked, but he knew that it had to be rather alarming. Naruto Uzumaki was a hard man to terrify. He had faced Madara Uchiha and lived to tell the tale. What could possibly make him look this nervous, he wonders to himself.

"Great. You guys might want to brace yourselves. Sasuke is back." Naruto says.

On second thought, maybe Madara Uchiha wasn't so bad after all. If Sasuke knew about Seiko, he was probably going to make Madara look like a newborn puppy. Adorable and utterly unthreatening. Sasuke would likely level the village to the ground, if he knew the truth.

"As the village is still standing, I'm assuming he doesn't know the truth. Sasuke is unaware that he is a father." He states confidently.

"Oh he knows. He just decided going to see Hinata was more important than finding you. You had better be careful though. The bastard has a temper on a good day and you disowned the mother of his child. Sasuke is going to be furious. I mean I don't want to be overdramatic, but an evacuation might not be a bad idea." The blonde warns him.

Hiashi eyes widen. Sasuke knew about Seiko and the disownment. This wouldn't end well. There was a very good chance that he would burn the entire Leaf Village to the ground in retribution.

"You aren't being dramatic. I just wish that my daughter had not given herself to a demon. I will do what is necessary to protect my family." He states firmly.

"Sasuke isn't a demon. He never was. He's a bastard, but he's a good guy. Well he's a good guy really deep down. That's why he went on that journey. He's trying to find himself again." Naruto protests.

The blue eyed ninja couldn't lie. He was very worried about what Sasuke might do, but he wasn't going to let anyone talk like that about his friend. Sasuke was his friend. They had been through a lot together and the raven haired man was trying to become a better person. He wasn't going to let Hiashi call him a demon.

"Perhaps there is some merit to what you say. Were it not for the massacre, Sasuke might very well be a normal person. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In the distant future, I do hope that he can "find himself" again, as you put it. For now, it is my duty as the Head of this Clan to protect my family. That means keeping them as far away from Sasuke Uchiha as possible." He replies.

"He's NOT a demon, but yeah. That'd probably be a good idea. I just had to warn you. There's a very good chance that he's going to show up here soon." Naruto says.

"Thank you, Naruto. I will not forget this kindness." The Hyuga Patriarch says as he opens the door and heads off to call an Emergency Clan Meeting.

Naruto sighs in relief. Maybe things would turn out okay. He could only hope that when Hiashi and Sasuke saw each other, Sasuke would remember that the other man was the grandfather of Seiko.

Hiashi was Seikko's ONLY living grandfather. Maybe that fact would keep his friend from launching into deadly rage. Naruto could only hope that would be the case.

Meanwhile back at Hinata's apartment, she bites her lower lip. Seiko clearly wanted fed, but she wasn't really sure she should do it in front of Sasuke. He might get the wrong idea. Not that Hinata even knew what the right idea would be at this point.

"I h-ave some bottles in the fridge for him. Do you think you could grab one?" She asks.

"Alright. I'll go get one." Sasuke says as he slinks off towards the kitchen to retrieve his son's bottle.

Hinata sighs as she watches him walk off. There was always a certain poetry to his movements. He reminded her a lot of a black panther in some ways. Graceful, deadly, and absolutely silent. As she glances down at her son, Hinata couldn't help but wonder who he would take after more in the long run. Her or Sasuke.

"I know this has to be very confusing for you, but that man is your father. Try to be nice to him. Okay?" She pleads with her son and feels more than a little ridiculous for doing so.

Seiko was only four months old. He likely didn't understand a single word she was saying. Hinata believed that he could at least distinguish between tones though. If nothing else, he could tell whether someone was feeling happy, angry, scared, or another emotion.

The infant looks up at his mother in confusion. Seiko wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew it had to do with that other big person that had shown up. He frowns in uncertainty. Was his mommy scared of the other man?

"And don't worry, he'll be back with your bottle soon." She coos at him.

No. That didn't seem right. Mommy wasn't scared. Something felt off though. He knew that something important was going on, but not what. It was frustrating.

Seiko was used to his small and simple world. Most days he only saw mommy, Mini Mommy, and Long Hair. He was only four months old, so he hadn't realized that Mini Mommy was his aunt and Long Hair was his uncle.

He knew those three people loved him and they cared for him. He was happy with his small world. He didn't really know where the new big person fit into it.

"Sasuke is your father and you'll likely be seeing a lot more of him. I hope that you two become good friends." She continues as she rocks Seiko some more.

Sometimes though, his mommy would take him outside and he'd go to a strange place. Mommy would take him to see the Cotton Candy Lady and Balloon Lady. He had no way of knowing that he was in a hospital and that the two ladies were Sakura and Tsunade.

He called Sakura the Cotton Candy Lady because her hair looked like pink cotton candy to him. Tsunade was the Balloon Lady because her chest reminded him of balloons. Mommy also had a big chest, but they weren't as big as Tsunade's balloons.

At that same moment, Sasuke was in the kitchen. He opens the fridge and looks for the milk. It was clever of Hinata to prepare bottles for Seiko in case of emergencies. If nothing else, he knew that his son had been well cared for in his absence.

"Sasuke." The Uchiha hears someone address him.

The young father didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. Neji. Neji likely wanted to give him another warning. Sasuke couldn't blame the man. From his perspective, the Uchiha had caused his cousin nothing but trouble. It was natural that he'd be protective.

"Neji. If you really want to give me another lecture, save it. Hinata asked me to get Seiko a bottle." Sasuke informs him as he grabs the bottle from the fridge and turns to leave.

"I'll save it for now. Sasuke, please don't do anything stupid. Don't go and start a Clan War." He pleads.

Sasuke blinks. That hadn't been what he had expected. Neji was worried that he'd start a Clan War? He hadn't really thought that far ahead yet. At the moment, Seiko and Hinata took priority.

He frowns when he realizes that Neji had a good reason to be concerned about a Clan War. Hiashi had disowned Hinata and by extension his son. That was the ultimate slap in the face to him and his Clan in general. If there was ever a good reason to start a Clan War, this would have been it.

"I'll think about it. I can't make any promises. Your "family" abandoned their own blood. I can understand them despising me. I corrupted their princess, but Seiko didn't do anything wrong." He snaps at Neji.

On some level, Sasuke realized yelling at Neji wasn't right. It wasn't his fault that he had been born into something that resembled more of a cult than a family. It was just that he was so angry about what had been done to Hinata and Seiko. He needed to vent his frustration and Neji just happened to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

"I never thought that I would say this, but I find myself agreeing with you. Be that as it may, it doesn't change the facts. If you attack the Hyuga Clan, it will be considered an attack on the Leaf." Neji begins.

"Other than Naruto, there is no one in this village that poses a real threat to me. I'm more concerned about Hinata and Seiko, but this village does deserve it. My Clan helped to found it and look at what we have gotten in return? Isolation, a Massacre, and humiliation. Where does it end?!" Sasuke demands.

Neji sighs. When Sasuke put it like that, the Leaf certainly didn't come off as the innocent party. The Uchiha had every right to be furious, but hopefully he would see reason.

"You have valid reasons to be angry, but please do think this through. Assuming that you manage to escape, you will be branded a Criminal Ninja once more. If that happens you will either never see your son again or you will have to go on the run with him and Hinata. Can you imagine, trying to avoid ANBUS while carrying for a child that can't even walk yet?" The lavender eyed man asks him.

Sasuke frowns. Neji was right. He could easily evade ANBUS on his own. If it was just him and Hinata, they could manage. They couldn't with Seiko though. There was no way to be stealthy when you were caring for an infant.

"You're right. I'm not going to destroy the Leaf or the Hyuga Clan. It seems that your family does that quite well enough on their own. You're delusional though, if you think that I'm going to let Hiashi get away with what he did to my family." Sasuke hisses at him.

"If I were in your position, I would be eager to extract my pound of flesh as well. Though I would urge you to fight smarter, not harder. There are many ways to hurt a man, without ever raising your sword at him." The Hyuga pleads.

"You're right. I'm still going to get at least one good punch in though. He deserves it." Sasuke mutters.

Neji smiles. That was one point that they both agreed on. He was quite furious with his uncle as well. How could he abandon his daughter so easily?

Hinata's actions in that cave had been nothing short of scandalous, but she had only done it to survive. It was that or freeze to death. What else could she have possibly done?

"If you happened to accidentally lose control of yourself and break his nose or something of that nature, I would be more than prepared to look the other way." Neji informs him.

"Good." Sasuke replies with a smirk.

Meanwhile Team Eight was having a meeting. Well most of Team Eight was. Everyone was there except for Hinata.

"It's been months. Do you think that she'll talk to us outside of a mission now?" Kiba asks.

"I don't know. I can see why she is keeping us at arm's length. Hinata is worried about our reputations. We should probably respect her decision. It would be cruel to force our presence on her before she was ready." Shino reasons.

Kurenai bites her lower lip. She hated this entire situation. Hinata had a healthy baby boy. She was a proud mother, but scarcely anyone shared her joy in this development.

She had wanted to help her former student through the difficult situation. Hinata would have none of it though. When pressed, the former Hyuga Heiress would tell them that she didn't want them to suffer the same fate that she had. Hinata didn't want them to become pariahs.

"You both have valid points. I think that we have waited long enough though. We have to at least try." The Genjutsu Mistress reasons.

"Yeah! I agree with Kurenai Sensei!" Kiba say triumphantly.

Shino sighs and shakes his head. He couldn't see how this was going to end well. If Hinata wanted to be left alone, it was best to respect her wishes. Unfortunately, it didn't look like his teammates were going to see reason. He would go to minimize the damage.

"Alright. Let's go." He says after internally debating the matter for a moment or two.

With that, the three of them began their trek to Hinata's apartment. One way or another, they were going to speak with their teammate. She couldn't ignore them, if they showed up on her doorstep. This time maybe Team Eight would be able to reason with her.

At that same moment, Sasuke heads back to Hinata and Seiko with the bottle firmly in hand. He smiles and hands it to the Hyuga woman. It was a small thing, but at least he had finally done SOMETHING for his son.

"Thank you. Do you want to hold him?" She asks shyly.

"I want to, but I'm not sure that's such a good idea. I'm not very good with fragile and he's so little. That and it might scare him. He doesn't know me. I'm a stranger." Sasuke reasons.

Ah ha! Seiko could see the bottle. That meant food was on the way. He reaches his chubby little hands out for the bottle.

"Sasuke, he's a baby. Of course, he's little. He'll get bigger." Hinata says with a giggle.

"I know that. I just don't want to accidentally hurt him." Sasuke defends himself.

They hadn't planned on having a child with each other, but Sasuke couldn't deny that he was very relieved. He was relieved that Hinata seemed to be a natural with Seiko. The woman was completely at ease with him held him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Maybe for her it was. There was something to be said for maternal instincts. Apparently, they were powerful. That and Hinata was just a very gentle person by nature. Sasuke wasn't.

"You won't hurt him. Just remember to support the back of his neck." Hinata says.

"Hinata, I really don't think this is a good idea." Sasuke protests again.

The mother of his child apparently wasn't going to be denied though. She completely ignores his continued protests and gently places Seiko in Sasuke's arms. Sasuke looked at her as if she had just put a bomb in his hands. Was she out of her mind?! What if he dropped Seiko or something?!

"You'll be fine. I know you can do it. If you can wield lightning in your hands, holding a baby should be easy." She reasons.

Sasuke blinks. Well he supposed that was one way to look at it. He wraps his arms around his son and places one hand behind his neck.

Suddenly, Sasuke was very grateful that Naruto had convinced him to take that arm transplant. The new limb had been shipped to a hospital in a village that Sasuke was passing through. A village that happened to be blessed with some very skilled medics.

Sasuke had reasoned that if he stayed in the Leaf long enough to recover from the transplant, that would make the villagers uneasy. It would be best, if he left on his Journey of Redemption as soon as possible. So that's exactly what he did and why he got the transplant done in another village.

"Ba ba!" Seiko says determinedly.

"Did he just speak?" Sasuke asks in astonishment.

"Well sorta. He's just beginning to babble a little bit. I told you that he was an early bloomer. Some babies begin actually talking as early as six months though." She says.

Sasuke nods. He didn't really know what to say to that. He smiles down at his son and gently rocks him. Clearly, he was already a genius. He could talk. Well almost. It still counted. For an infant who was only four months old, that was impressive! (Well at least in Sasuke's mind anyway.)

Seiko coos. He liked being rocked, but he still wanted his bottle. He didn't really understand how big people talked to each other yet. He was trying and apparently failing miserably to get his point across. Well he was nothing, if not determined.

"Ba! Ba!" He says and waves his hands at the bottle.

"Ohhh. I think he wants his bottle." Hinata says as she hands it back to Sasuke.

Sasuke tries his best not to gape at the bluenette. Now she wanted him to try to feed him? He'd probably screw this up and end up half joking the adorable baby in his arms.

"Sasuke, it's easy. You can do it." She says encouragingly.

"Right. If I can manage not to strangle Naruto while we were on Team Seven, this shouldn't be too hard." He mutters as he cautiously places the bottle by his son's mouth.

That was apparently all that Seiko needed. He latches onto it and sucks vigorously. Sasuke smiles. Well thank God for instincts. Apparently, Seiko didn't really care who fed him. What mattered was that he got fed.

"There. See? You can do it." Hinata says with an encouraging smile and Sasuke nods.

"I guess he takes after me. He's not nearly as shy as you about asking for what he wants. Well more like demanding actually. He might have a bossy streak, but he's very smart." Sasuke says clearly pleased about this "smartness."

Hinata tries not to laugh. Seiko had said, "Ba ba," and Sasuke was acting like their son had recited the history of the ninja wars by heart. It was…cute.

Cute certainly wasn't a word that she had ever associated him before. Aloof, intelligent, vicious, strong, and attractive were the words she normally associated with Sasuke. Cute just hadn't been on that list before now.

"I think it's a bit early to call him bossy, but I'm glad that at least he knows how to ask for his bottle now." She says.

"Yeah. That's a good sign." Sasuke says.

Just then Seiko finishes drinking and starts fussing. Sasuke looks absolutely terrified. Hinata barely managed not to laugh as she takes Seiko from Sasuke and places him over her shoulder.

The bluenette then grabbed what looked like a rather large napkin and placed it over her back. Sasuke raises an eyebrow at this strange gesture, but then Hinata pats Seiko lightly on the back and he spits up some milk.

"He just needed to be burped is all. He was a little too full." Hinata explains.

"Oh. The napkin thing is clever. I guess that's one way to protect your shirts." He muses.

"Thank you. Well I think that he's had a long day. I'll put him to bed and we can talk, if you like." She mumbles shyly.

Sasuke had no idea how she did it. One moment, she was a tigress that wouldn't take no for an answer when it came to whether or not he'd hold Seiko and the next she morphed right back into a shy Academy Girl. It was actually a little dizzying, really.

"Alright. I'll go wait in the living room." Sasuke says, before heading off.

"You're such a good boy. You were so nice to your daddy. I'm sure that he appreciates it. It's time for you to get some sleep though. Okay?" Hinata says as she gently places Seiko back into his crib.

Seiko wasn't really sure what was going on. He suspected it was a big people thing though. Oh well. His belly was full and he was too tired to care that they were clearly going to play games without him.

The youngest Uchiha yawns cutely and was soon out like a light. He had a very long day. It was always eventful, whenever he met a new person.

"I would have told you about him, but I didn't know where you were." Hinata whispers a few moments later in the living room.

"I know. I would have been there for him, if I had known. I can't believe I was so stupid. I never saw you use the Jutsu. I should have realized that this was a possibility." He says.

"Well we were both only a few minutes away from freezing to death. Neither of us was thinking very clearly." The bluenette reasons.

That was one way to put it. He definitely hadn't been thinking clearly. Before that night, human contact wasn't something that he had been very interested in. He generally associated it with pain or adrenaline rushes from fights. Rarely had he actually sought it, after age seven.

It had been different with her though. Hinata was just so delightfully soft and warm. He was a teenager, so of course he had thought about sex before. It was always an afterthought though. Something that he would pursue later. Killing Itachi had taken priority over everything else and that had included his hormones. Well at least it had, up until that point.

"That's true. This place is a bit small. It's alright for now. He's just a baby, but it's going to get cramped. If you like, you could both come back with me. You could live with me in the Uchiha District. Obviously, there's no shortage of space there." Sasuke says.

Hinata frowns as she considers her answer. Sasuke wanted to be in Seiko's life. He was also right. It was a small apartment and eventually that was going to be an issue. She couldn't do it though.

"Sasuke, that's very sweet. I appreciate it. I really do, but I can't. I'm already ostracized because of who his father is. It's not your fault. You mustn't blame yourself for it, but I don't want Seiko to suffer the same fate. If we all isolate ourselves in the Uchiha District, it's going to make it very hard for him to become part of the village later on." Hinata replies.

Sasuke felt like he had just been slapped in the face. He wanted to take care of his family. He hadn't been there for them, when they needed him. The last he could do was provide them with a REAL house and Hinata was rejecting his offer.

"I would prefer it, if you both moved in with me. Reluctantly, I do see your point. That's fine. I'll just buy a house for us outside of the District." Sasuke decrees.

He couldn't lie. That had hurt, especially after she had accepted his other offer so easily. Sasuke had never really given much thought to intimacy, until he kissed her. It was his first real kiss. (He didn't count the two accidental ones with Naruto.)

After that, he had been a goner. Apparently, he must have subconsciously craved some form of physical contact where violence wasn't the intention behind it. They had fit together so perfectly. He still didn't understand it to this day.

"You're going to buy a house inside the village for all of us? Sasuke, I can't ask you to do that. It's way too much. Houses are very expensive." She says.

They couldn't be anymore different from each other in terms of personality or even body types. Whereas he was hard and cold, she was soft and warm. Most of his life had been dedicated to revenge and that made him do terrible things. Conversely, Hinata was kind and gentle. (Sometimes he wondered how someone that gentle could even be a ninja in the first place, but he digressed.)

"Hinata, the money is the issue. Other than Seiko, I'm the last of my Clan. Now that I've been pardoned, I have access to all of our assets. Trust me, I can afford a house. Let me do this for him. I want to do something for my son that mean something more than just fetching a bottle or feeding him." The raven haired man tells her.

The young mother sighs. She really didn't want to take advantage of him like that, but Sasuke seemed rather insistent about the matter. That and it would be nice to have more room.

"Alright. Just a small house though?" She inquires and Sasuke shakes his head in amusement.

Only Hinata. He was offering her a house and she wanted a small one. He knew why. She didn't want him to feel like she was using him for his money. The very idea was laughable, but Sasuke decided to indulge her.

"Well maybe more like a medium house. He might want to have some friends over one day." Sasuke says.

"Alright. A medium house sounds good when you put it that way." Hinata agrees.

"Good." Sasuke replies with a smile.

He still wasn't exactly sure what the proper way to behave around her was. They were lovers once. Sasuke wasn't sure she wanted to be again or even if they were friends. They had Seiko to bind them together though.

He wanted to offer her some kind of reassurance. Sasuke wasn't very good at the whole comforting thing though. He was definitely more of a physical being. With that in mind, he wraps his arms around her and rests his head on hers.

"I really am sorry about all this. Things will get better though. I promise." He tells her.

"It's not your fault. You didn't know and I know that they will. Things have a way of working out in the end. You'll see." She assures him.

Sauske smiles. He had no idea how she did it. The woman had been forced into single motherhood and shunned by her entire Clan, yet she was still an eternal optimist.

Really, it was just one of the many things that he admired about her. Sasuke just wasn't sure what the line between admiring and loving someone was. He knew that he loved Seiko, but that type of love was easy.

"I hope you're right." He whispers.

The love between a parent and their child was instinctual. It was uncomplicated. Romantic love was a different story though. It was far more complicated.

"I hope so too." Hinata says with a shy smile.

Sasuke had never been in love before, so he wasn't even sure if he would know when he was. He did know that if he was capable of loving someone in that way, it would be Hinata.

He considered that a good start. Maybe she was right. Maybe things would work out in the end. Somehow.


	4. Chapter 4

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter because I think it's the one that a lot of people have been waiting for.

 **Chapter Notation:** This is probably not cannon, but I'm introducing a new concept called First Blood in this chapter. I think that it's realistic to believe that Clans would have come up with something like this as a way of settling disputes.

Chapter 4

Sasuke and Hinata were discussing possible locations for their new home, when someone knocked on the door. The eldest Uchiha didn't particularly care of the look of panic on her face when that happened. Sasuke says and gives her a reassuring look before retreating into the kitchen.

Hinata was willing to at least maintain a cordial relationship with him for Seiko's sake, but she hadn't really thought through the consequences of such a decision. The Hyuga woman hadn't pondered how the rest of the village would react to them being "together." For now, he'd be "kind" and just try to avoid being seen. She needed some time to figure out what they were going to do about the public aspect of their _relationship_ and he was willing to give her that.

"Thank you." Hinata whispers to him before heading off to answer the door.

Hinata opens the door and blinks when she saw her team was there. Her entire team. Kurenai Sensei, Kiba, and Shino. They were all standing on her doorstep.

"Hinata, please don't shut the door. We only want to talk." Kurenai says.

She bites her lower lip. The bluenette really didn't want to drag them into her problems, especially not now. Not when Sasuke was currently "hiding" in the kitchen.

"I know that you all just want to help and I appreciate it, but you can't help me." Hinata mumbles.

Kiba sighs. He hated how vulnerable she looked. Hinata looked only a breath or two away from panicking. Damn Hiashi.

He certainly didn't like the fact that Hinata had gotten pregnant by Sasuke Uchiha. The Inuzuka wasn't an idiot though. He knew why. When you were only a few hours away from freezing to death, you'd do just about anything to get warm.

"Hinata, we're your friends. You know that we are just trying to help. It's nice that you are worried about our reputations, but you're more important than what some random villagers think about us. Our real friends will understand." Kiba insists.

Hinata smiles. Kiba could be so sweet when he wanted to be. Part of her wished that she could take them up on their offer. Unfortunately, the bluenette knew that she couldn't.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to put you through that. Please, go." She whispers.

That's when Shino's eyes narrow. One of his insects flies back to him. The insect lover always sent out at least a few of his bugs to search his surroundings. It was standard procedure to him.

Apparently, it was a good thing that he had made it a habit to do this. His insect had just told him that she had spotted Sasuke Uchiha. Shino knew that this ladybug would never lie to him. That meant that Sasuke was here.

"You want us to go, but he's allowed to stay? The man that is responsible for your unpleasant situation can stay, but not your own teammates?" Shino demands in a quiet, seething voice.

Kurenai covers her mouth in shock. Sasuke was here. She didn't know whether that was a good or a bad thing. If the Uchiha was here, that meant he probably knew about Seiko. Most likely, the raven haired ninja knew about the disownment. If that was true, there was a very good chance that Sasuke would try to destroy the Leaf.

"Hinata, is that true? Is he really here?" She whispers.

The young mother gulps. This could get ugly and fast. She had no idea what to do. Shino knew where Sasuke was. It was unlikely that Sasuke knew that he knew though. He wouldn't have any time to get out of there or hide better.

"From the look on her face, I'd say it is true. Hinata, are you alright? Did he hurt you?" Kiba asks in concern.

That did it. Sasuke had exceptional hearing and the apartment really wasn't that big. He wasn't going to let THAT accusation stand! How DARE Kiba accuse him of being abusive to the mother of his child?!

"She's fine. The only people who seem to be upsetting her, are you three." Sasuke says as he strides over to them.

Kiba had never been much of a Sensory Type, but even he could tell that Sasuke's chakra was lashing around him violently. The very air was filled with his fury.

"Sasuke, they were just trying to help." Hinata whispers.

"Oh I know that they were just trying to help. That's why the mutt's still standing." Sasuke hisses and his eyes flash dangerously at the Inuzuka.

Kiba somehow managed to stand his ground. It was a close call though. He knew what Sasuke was capable of. The man had fought alongside Naruto against Madara and lived to tell the tale. If Sasuke wanted to, he could kill him easily.

The canine lover was confident in his abilities, but he knew the truth. As much as he hated to admit it, he wouldn't last five seconds against a seriously angry Uchiha. It looked like silence might be his best option.

"Alright, everyone. Calm down." Kurenai says, trying advert a disaster.

"Yes, that would be for the best. There is a baby in this apartment. We have to think of Seiko's safety. So if you must settle your disagreements with violence, I would urge you to take it outside." Neji states.

"I wasn't going to get violent. He only said that because he cares about Hinata. That's why I'm going to let that one slide. But if he ever says anything like that again, I won't be in such a forgiving mood. I would NEVER harm the mother of my child." Sasuke hisses at Kiba.

The canine lover was suddenly reminded of a cobra. Sasuke's entire body was coiled and ready to strike. Kiba knew that was likely to be the only warning he was going to get. Sasuke wasn't joking. He wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

"I guess that wasn't fair. I mean you did go on some Journey of Redemption. You are trying not to be such a jerk." He mutters.

Sasuke twitches. Hinata places her hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Kiba hadn't meant that the way that it sounded. She knew that and she hoped that Sasuke was able to understand that as well.

"I do want to know what gives you the right to just waltz in here, after all this time? Hinata had to go through her pregnancy alone. She had to give birth alone. She was disowned from her Clan. She's suffered horribly for the sake of your son. The only people that she allowed to help her at all were Neji and Hanabi. So what gives you the right to just walk back in here, as if nothing ever happened?!" Shino demands.

Sasuke couldn't control his temper anymore. SMACK. The eldest Uchiha slams Shino against the wall and wraps his hands around the other man's throat.

"I didn't know she was pregnant. If I had known, I would have come back immediately. Trust me, I'm going to deal with her Clan later. Our relationship is none of your concern" Sasuke growls at him.

Shino growls right back at Sasuke. He wasn't going to allow Sasuke to just shove him around and assume that everything was fine. Someone had to stand up to him. Before the insect lover could issue one word of protest though, Sasuke continued on with his speech.

"If she didn't want me here, I would leave. That's HER decision though. Not yours. If you have a problem with that, you are welcome to fight me. Give me a reason, Shino. Just give me a reason to squash you like one of your bugs." Sasuke snarls.

"Sasuke!" Hinata cries out in horror and that's when Seiko started to cry.

The young father blinks when he heard the infant's cry. Immediately, he releases Shino's throat and darts off to the bedroom. He scoops his son up and checks for injuries. He didn't see any physical wounds.

"It's alright." He says and tries rocking him.

Seiko seemed to like it when Hinata did it. Maybe it would work for him as well. That's when Sasuke realized why Seiko had started bawling. He had sensed his chakra. He must be a Sensory Type.

His son had sensed his chakra. Sasuke frowns as he realizes that while the infant had no idea what was going on, he had picked up on Sasuke's rage and it had scared him. No wonder he was crying.

"I'm sorry that I scared you. It's just that your mother has two very stupid teammates." He whispers as he continues rocking Seiko.

Seiko sniffles and looks up at the big person in confusion. He knew that voice. It was the tone big people used when they were trying to calm him down. His experience with that voice had thus far taught him that everything was going to be alright, after someone used that for. So he settles down, except for the occasional hiccup or sniffle.

"That's a good boy." Sasuke says with a smile.

He couldn't help but marvel at the fact that somehow he was partially responsible for creating something so small and innocent. Seiko definitely looked like him, but he apparently took after Hinata in personality. Like his mother, it seemed that he didn't like conflict.

Sasuke found himself grateful for the fact that it looked like Seiko had inherited his looks and not his personality. He didn't want to corrupt something so pure. So innocent and so damn cute.

"Ba ba?" He asks and Sasuke shakes his head in amusement.

"That's the only word you know how to say, isn't it?" The elder Uchiha inquires.

Seiko just coos in response and Sasuke heads to the kitchen, carrying his son in his arms. He'd just have to get him another bottle apparently. Sasuke couldn't believe it, but he found himself somewhat envious of his own son.

The baby had a simple life. All he needed to be happy was his mother and his bottle apparently. It must be nice to only be expected to eat, sleep, and cuddle up to Hinata all day.

"You have absolutely no idea, how lucky you are." Sasuke muses as he gets him another bottle.

Back at the Hyuga Estate, Hiashi was in the process of conducting an Emergency Clan Meeting. He frowns as he realizes he wasn't sure what he was going to say. He knew that he had to warn them, but not how he was going to do it.

"Alright. Is everyone here?" He inquires.

"No, Lord Hiashi. It seems that Neji is missing, but everyone else is here." A Branch Member calls out.

"Damn that boy. Well we shall begin. Someone will simply have to thoroughly brief him later. I am afraid that I have bad news. We may be able to face the greatest threat that our Clan has ever faced." He says.

There was no reason to sugarcoat this. There was no way to soften the blow of what he was about to say. So the Uchiha Patriarch decides that it was probably best just to cut straight to the point.

That got everyone's attention. Hiashi Hyuga was not a man known for being overly dramatic. If he said that a threat was serious, it was. Everyone looked up at their leader more than a little anxiously.

"Sasuke Uchiha has returned to the Leaf Village. He is aware that he has a child by Hinata. That means that he either already knows that she was disowned or is likely going to find out soon. Sasuke is going to want revenge against our Clan. That is why I want all of you to evacuate until this is sorted out. It may very well be the case that this will end by invoking First Blood." He says.

First Blood was an ancient tradition amongst the Clans. Whenever a Clan offended another Clan, they had the option of calling First Blood. This was generally a way to avoid a Clan War, while allowing both Clans to maintain their honor.

"Lord Hiashi, it would be suicide for you to stay behind. What makes you think that he'd follow the rules?" One of the Main House Members demands.

"I am well aware that this may be suicidal, but it is the only way I know of that will protect the Clan. Now, go! This is an order. Take what you need and go to our agreed on evacuation site. I have hopes that I will join you soon and that all of this will have been for naught." He says.

There were some cries of protest, some hushed whispers, and some actual sobs breaking out amongst the Hyugas. They all know what this meant. Hiashi Hyuga was most likely a dead man.

"I SAID GO! My decision is final!" He snaps at them and the Hyugas quickly scurry off to pack.

The concept of First Blood was simple. The offended Clan had the right to invoke it at any time they wanted. Both Clans would choose a "champion." The champions would fight. The fight would end whenever first blood was drawn. Whichever combatant triumphed won the victory for that Clan. Thus any arguments over things like land, marriages, or honor were settled relatively peacefully.

First Blood was a way to extract your pound of flesh and to avoid Clan Wars. It was considered an advantageous practice because over 90% of the time, both combatants lived to tell the tale of their heroic battle. While it was not against the rules to kill someone during First Blood, it was frowned upon.

"This won't end well." He says with a heavy sigh.

Sasuke would likely either attack the Leaf Village or invoke the Right of First Blood. Hiashi wouldn't be able to refuse his challenge. It would be a great stain on his family's name. Honor demanded that he accept any challenges that he received as the Head of his Clan. That meant that there was a very good chance that he would never live to see another birthday.

He highly doubted that Sasuke Uchiha would care that killing during a First Blood Battle was highly frowned on. Hiashi was confident in his abilities as a ninja, but Sasuke was barely human. He was more of a demon than a man.

"Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't she have been trapped in that damn cave with Naruto or Kiba? Why couldn't she have been trapped in that cave with anyone else?!" He asks to the Heavens.

Predictably, he received no response. Hiashi hadn't expected one. He was simply voicing his frustrations at the unfairness of the entire situation.

Meanwhile Team Eight, Hinata, and Neji cautiously follow Sasuke's chakra signature. Everyone but Hinata, was stunned at what they sound. Sasuke was sitting in the kitchen with Seiko in his lap and bottle feeding him.

"Am I seeing things or is Sasuke taking care of a baby?" Kiba asks.

"If you are seeing things, then I am as well. I can't believe it either." Shino mutters.

Kurenai just shakes her head in amusement. It was a strange sight to say the least. Then again, perhaps it was to be expected. Sasuke had always wanted to restore his Clan. It was only natural that he would want to take care of any children he sired.

"Sasuke is trying to be a good father. It's complicated, but we are trying to figure out what we are going to do about everything. Please don't pick fights with him." Hinata pleads with her teammates.

"Well he is the father. Under the law, he does have certain legal rights. It's probably best that the two of you try to work something out. Besides, it does seem that he cares for Seiko in his own way. Shino, Kiba, let's go." Kurenai says.

Her two male students look at Kurenai as if she had grown another head. She couldn't honestly expect them to leave Hinata and Seiko here with Sasuke, could she? That was madness. Sasuke Uchiha shouldn't be left alone with their innocent teammate and an infant!

"I suggest you take your Sensei's advice. You know what his temper is like." Neji warns them.

Kiba and Shino frown. It was obvious that neither of them were very happy about the current situation. Unfortunately, they both realized there was very little that they could do about it. Sighing, they say their goodbyes to Hinata and depart with their Sensei.

"Well that went better than expected." Neji muses.

"Neji, I want you to do me a favor." Sasuke says, after Seiko finishes his bottle.

Neji eyes Sasuke warily. He wasn't sure exactly what Sasuke wanted. Unfortunately, he expected that it wouldn't be anything good.

"I may grant that favor, depending on what it is that you are asking of me." He replies diplomatically.

"I want you to watch Seiko. I'm going to have a discussion with his grandfather." The Uchiha says as he gently places Seiko in Neji's arms.

Hinata's eyes widen in horror. She winces as she imagines what Sasuke meant by _discussion._ Hinata couldn't let him do it. She couldn't let her lover kill her father!

"Sasuke, please don't! You really don't have to. It hurts that I was disowned, but not enough for me to condone you taking his life!" She pleads.

Sasuke sighs and shakes his head. While he would LOVE to rip Hiashi Hyuga limb from limb for what he had done to his family, he was realistic enough to realize that wasn't the smart option. Neji had raised many valid points.

If it were just his life at stake, Sasuke wouldn't have hesitated. He would have slaughtered Hiashi. He wasn't the only one that would have to live with the consequences of his actions though. Anything he did now, would impact Hinata and Seiko. That meant that he couldn't kill Hiashi. It didn't matter how much the man might deserve it, in his eyes.

"I'm not going to murder your father, Hinata. That's why I asked Neji to watch Seiko. I want you to come with me." Sasuke says.

Hinata blinks. Whatever she had been expecting, that wasn't it. Sasuke wanted her to come with him? Maybe that meant he was sincere about not wanting to murder her father.

"Alright. I'll go with you. Please, Neji. Can you watch him?" The young mother begs.

"Yes, of course. I can watch him. Sasuke, you had better keep your word. I don't think that Hinata would want a cold-blooded murderer to be in her son's life. We discussed this matter earlier. I believe you know my views on it." He says.

Sasuke nods. Oh yes, he was aware of Neji's views. He was certainly going to get that punch in. At the VERY least, he deserved a broken nose. Sasuke was trying to be a better person. That didn't mean that he was trying to become a saint. Only a saint could overlook what Hiashi Hyuga had done to his family.

"Hinata, would you prefer to walk or teleport?" Sasuke asks.

"Teleporting might be better." Hinata mumbles and Sasuke takes her hand.

"Alright. Hold on tight." He says as they disappear in a swirl of flames.

Seiko watches with wide eyes. He had never seen that done before. Where did mommy go? Where did the other big person go?

"It's alright. They'll be back soon. Sasuke and Hinata just have to settle things between them and your grandfather." Neji assures him.

Seiko coos at Neji. He liked Long Hair. Long Hair was ALMOST as good as mommy. He wasn't as snuggly though, but he liked him.

Sasuke and Hinata soon reached the Hyuga Estate. Hinata's heart was pounding. Her lover sounded sincere when he said that he wouldn't kill him. That didn't mean that Sasuke didn't have other tricks up his sleeve though.

"Don't look so scared. I'm not going to lie. It'll be a miracle if he escapes this encounter with no broken bones, but he'll live." Sasuke says as he walks into the Hyuga Estate with Hinata.

That's when Sasuke noticed something. The Hyugas were all scurrying around like bees in a hive. He felt himself smirk. Naruto must have warned him that he was coming. Hiashi had issued an evacuation order.

"Well it looks like they knew that we were coming." He muses.

"You're enjoying this." Hinata mumbles.

"Maybe a little. They deserve to be frightened after what they did to you and Seiko. They abandoned both of you. They abandoned their own blood. I have very little sympathy for them." Sasuke mutters in disgust.

The Hyugas all stare wide eyed at the "couple." Soon screams of terror were heard throughout the gardens. It didn't take long for Hiashi to come out of the house or for him to notice them.

"You arrived more quickly than I would have expected." He says.

"You're smarter than I expected. An evacuation order was the smart play. Unfortunately for you, you're the one that I wanted to see anyway." Sasuke seethes at him.

Hinata felt herself shiver. It was hard to reconcile that cold voice with the man who had been feeding their son only a few moments ago. Sasuke had been so gentle with Seiko and now she was reminded that he was still a very dangerous person. Someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill. She could only hope that he kept his promise.

"I think that you realize a Clan War wouldn't end well for you. There are only two Uchihas left and one of them is a baby. If you attack the Leaf, you will be hunted for the rest of your days. Your issue is with me and no one else." Hiashi says.

"I don't need you to point out the obvious to me, Hiashi. I imagine that you feel like quite the martyr now. If I were to kill you, you would be revered by your Clan because you sacrificed yourself for them. I'm not going to give you a hero's death. I'm also not going to attack the Leaf or start a Clan War. Hyugas aren't like Uchihas. Your sheep. You all follow whoever is head of your Clan without question. You're the one responsible for their suffering." Sasuke hisses at him.

Hinata wanted to protest that label. Her Clan was not made up of sheep, but she remained silent. That might just make things worse.

"Since your Clan is all here, I think that I'm just going to invoke First Blood. You disowned my son. I have the right to defend his honor." The eldest Uchiha states.

Everyone gasps and all eyes were immediately locked on the pair of Patriarchs. First Blood hadn't been invoked for at least a decade. Everyone knew of it, but few spoke of it out loud.

"I accept your challenge. Hinata, stand back. You do not need to get in the middle of this. This is between the two of us." The lavender eyed man states.

"Oh you're worried about her, NOW? Don't make me laugh. You didn't give a damn about her when you disowned her or your grandson. Hiashi Hygua, you don't get to play the role of a concerned father anymore. Don't you dare pretend that you care about her." Sasuke snaps at him.

"Sasuke, father, please. This isn't necessary." Hinata says.

Sasuke sighs. It was VERY necessary. He hated that it upset Hinata, but there was no other choice. He couldn't let this go unaddressed. It was as much for Seiko's sake as for his.

Sasuke realized that if he allowed the Hyugas to pull rank like this now, they would look like the more dominant Clan in the future. That wouldn't be allowed. Before the Massacre, the Uchihas and Hyugas had been considered equals. It was going to stay that way.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. I can't. I won't kill him, but I'm going to punish him." Sasuke mutters as some Hyugas walk out carrying a rather large red banner.

The banner was to signify the Right of First Blood. Essentially, it made it an official challenge. Sasuke smirks and lets them wave the banner for a bit before the fight begins.

Hiashi Hyuga assumes a defensive stance. It was a good stance, but Sasuke wasn't going to have any of it. While Naruto was the one with a clone fetish, Sasuke was more than capable of producing several clones himself. That's exactly what he did.

"CHIDORI! LION'S BARRAGE! DEMON WIND SHURIKEN! FIRE JUTSU: PHOENIX FLOWER STYLE!" Each clone yells out the name of the attack that they were charging at Hiashi with.

It was a distraction. While he was busy countering the many different styles, Sasuke sneaks up in his blind spot range. The Hyugas had nearly 360 degree vision thanks to the Byakugan, but they did have a blindspot and that was where Sasuke attacked.

"GENTLE FIST!" Hiashi calls out, but it was no use.

He was being attacked from all sides. Sasuke smirks as he extends his sword and slices into the other man's forehead. It would be painful, but he wasn't cutting deep. Just deep enough to draw blood and leave an engraving.

Sasuke had never really been that artistically inclined. He was no Sai or Deidara, but he could draw a symbol with his sword well enough. The Curse Seal. The very same symbol that the Hyugas used to enslave their Branch Members.

"AHHH!" Hiashi cries out in pain.

That's when one of the Hyugas noticed that their Patriarch was bleeding from the forehead. The red banner is waved once more. The fight was presumably over.

Sasuke hadn't turned Hiashi into a Branch Member of course. He didn't know the technique required to do so. He had merely etched the symbol into his forehead with his blade. It would eventually heal.

"I want to remember that I could have killed you easily. I want you to look in the mirror every day and see the symbol of your Clan and feel powerless. You cast my son aside for the crime of being born. You do the same thing with your Clan. You enslave them based on when they are born and who their parents are. The only reason you are the Clan Head is because you were born a few moments before your brother. I want you to remember that." Sasuke seethes at him.

Hinata breathes a sigh of relief that it appeared to be over. The entire Hyuga Clan was watching with baited breath. None of them knew what was going to happen next.

"Oh and this is for MY son!" Sasuke says as he punches Hiashi hard enough that a sickening crack was heard.

Another Hyuga quickly rushes over to help Hiashi. Sasuke had clearly broken his nose. Thankfully, the Uchiha didn't seem to be in a hurry to intervene.

"You had your Right of First Blood. That makes everything settled between our Clans. I expect that you will not interfere with our Clan again and that we will do likewise." Hiashi says, while clutching his broken nose.

"You're right. I want nothing to do with your Clan. You disown your own far too easily. Seiko is far better off without the lot of you. Your pride cost you the right to see your own grandson. Unless Hinata decides to forgive you and grant you the right to visit him, you are NEVER to speak to him." Sasuke snarls at him.

Hinata winces. Sasuke had kept his word. He hadn't killed Hiashi, but he had humiliated him. She couldn't see how the two would ever reconcile. Her father and her lover despised each other. That put her and Seiko in the middle of what was likely to be a very long feud.

"That is agreeable. Hinata, I can only hope that the child takes after you and not this demon." Hiashi says.

"Don't." Hinata says simply as she glares at her father.

"Don't what?" Hiashi asks in confusion.

Hinata clenches her fists so hard, that she could feel her fingernails digging into the skin. She had never felt so angry in her entire life. How dare Hiashi pass judgment like that? He disowned her and Seiko. He had no right to speak about her son or to insult his father.

"Don't call him a demon. He's not. Sasuke may have done a lot of horrible things, but at least he hasn't abandoned his family. You have. Some might argue that makes you far closer to being a demon than him. One day, I hope that you will come to accept my choices. I want you and Seiko to know each other, but that will not happen as long as you insult his father." She says.

Sasuke blinks. He couldn't believe that Hinata had not only defended him, but against her father. Apparently, neither could the rest of the Hyugas. He heard many loud gasps of shock.

"You've chosen a demon over your family, Hinata. That was not my doing. I had hoped that you would come to your senses. It pains me not to see my grandchild. Sadly, that is the way it has to be. Until I can be assured that Seiko is nothing like his father, he is to stay away from this Clan." Hiashi says.

"What makes you think that OUR son would want anything to do with your treacherous Clan to begin with? Nevermind. Hinata, shall we go home? I believe that we have made our point." Sasuke asks as he offers her his hand.

"I'm sorry that you feel that way father. If you change your mind, you know where you can find me." Hinata says as she takes Sasuke's hand and they teleport off, leaving behind a very stunned Hyuga Clan in their wake.


	5. Chapter 5

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad that everyone seems to have liked how Sasuke punished Hiashi. I have a special surprise for everyone. Thanks to one reviewer's suggestion, we are going to be bringing back an old fan favorite. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** This is more of a domestic chapter where you get to see how Hinata and Sasuke are dealing with everything, after the initial shock wears off. This chapter also plants the seeds of romance. After this one, the seeds will begin to blossom more.

Chapter 5

A few days had passed since Sasuke challenged Hiashi. Currently, Sasuke was staying at Hinata's apartment while he searched for a "suitable house." Hinata was just hoping that Sasuke's version of "suitable" didn't turn out to be an Estate that could rival her family's home. With Sasuke, this was apparently a valid concern. He seemed quite intent on spoiling Seiko.

Hinata didn't really have the heart to protest. It was strangely adorable, even if it was slightly exasperating at times. Seiko's toy box was rapidly becoming filled to the brim with the various toys that Sasuke had decided the baby "needed."

"Good morning, Hinata." Kurenai says after Hinata answered the door.

Hinata smiles. Ever since Team Eight had "reunited," her teammates stopped by almost daily to visit with her and Seiko. She didn't doubt for a second that they genuinely wanted to see her, Hinata knew that there was another reason why they were visiting so much. They were checking on Sasuke.

Her teammates wanted to make sure that the Uchiha was behaving himself. Thankfully, Sasuke either hadn't realized this or was too polite to comment on it. She hoped it stayed that way. The last thing she needed was another fight between her teammates and her son's father.

"Good morning, Kurenai Sensei." Hinata answers with a smile.

It was nice to see Team Eight. She had missed them horribly. Keeping them at arm's length hadn't been easy, but Hinata had sincerely thought that she was protecting them. Apparently, that hadn't been the case.

"How are you? Where are Sasuke and Seiko?" Kurenai inquires in confusion.

The Genjutsu Mistress was puzzled by the fact that the Uchihas weren't beside Hinata. Rarely, did Hinata let her son out of her sight and Sasuke seemed to be taking the same hands-on approach to parenting. So the three of them were nearly inseparable at the moment.

"Oh their both sleeping." Hinata says with a giggle.

"Sleeping, but it's nearly Noon?" The red eyed ninja replies in astonishment.

Hinata smiles. It seemed that Sasuke when given the option was a night owl. Seiko took after his father in that respect. If they weren't forced to wake up before lunch time, they weren't going to.

Oh Sasuke was fully capable of getting up early. He was capable of functioning at a high capacity as well. It was just obvious that her lover would much prefer to sleep away half the day and stay up until the wee hours of the morning. Seiko was mirroring his father's strange sleeping habits.

"Sasuke is not a morning person. Neither is Seiko." Hinata informs her.

"Oh. Well that's cute. It's nice to see that they have things in common already. How are the two of you getting along?" Kurenai asks cautiously.

Hinata pauses as she considers how to answer that question and gets some tea out of the fridge. She really didn't know. Sasuke was certainly quite eager to spend time to Seiko and he hadn't said an unkind word to her yet, but it was still awkward.

Neither of them really knew how to act around the other, when Seiko wasn't there to act as a buffer. Were they supposed to be lovers or just friends who happened to have a son together?

"Good. He's been wonderful with Seiko and we haven't been fighting." Hinata answers honestly.

"I'm glad that he's taking to fatherhood so well, but I think we both know that isn't what I meant. I meant how are YOU two getting along. It's obvious that he adores your son, Hinata." Kurenai insists.

"I don't k-now. Like I said, we haven't been fighting. He s-pared father because he knew it would upset me, if he didn't. So I know that he cares about my feelings. I just don't know to what extent. He sleeps on the couch though, if that's what you are asking." She mumbles as a deep blush soon spreads across her face.

Kurenai nods. That's what she was asking. Sasuke and Hinata had a child together. It was obvious that at least once they hadn't minded being _close_ to one another. They were also now living in the same apartment. Honestly, she would be surprised if they didn't become lovers again.

The Genjutsu Mistress decides to take pity on her student. She didn't want to push Hinata too far. She was already blushing. So she decides to change to topics.

"Well Seiko is growing rather quickly." She muses.

"Yes! I think I'm going to need to get him some new clothes soon. He's already starting to babble. I think he'll say his first official word soon." Hinata says with a smile.

"That's wonderful news." Kurenai says.

Meanwhile Sasuke yawns and stretches. He could hear voices. He recognized one as being Hinata's instantly and the other he eventually placed as Kurenai. Neither were threats, but it was enough to wake him.

He smiles when he sees that Seiko's stroller was next to the couch. He was still sleeping. Then again, he had once heard that infants slept a lot of hours. It was just rarely in a row.

"You're an exception to every rule, just like your mother." He whispers to his sleeping son as he decides to go see what the women were talking about.

"Oh good morning, Sasuke." Kurenai says.

"Morning." He greets his lover's instructor.

He didn't have an issue with Kurenai. Frankly, Sasuke was surprised that the woman tolerated him as much as she did. From her perspective, he had probably ruined Hinata's life.

"We were just saying that Seiko is growing really fast." Hinata says with a smile.

Sasuke didn't know what was considered fast for a baby. So he just nods his head in agreement. He was already talking. Well sorta. So perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise that he was developing quickly physically as well.

"He's still asleep in his stroller." Sasuke says.

"That's good. Are you going to be comfortable watching him on your own? I imagine that Kurenai Sensei needs to get back to Mirai soon." Hinata asks.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Was he going to be comfortable watching Seiko on his OWN?! That implied that Hinata was going somewhere.

"I think I can manage. Why? Where are you going?" He asks.

"To the Academy. Once I got pregnant with Seiko, I realized that I didn't really want to be a combat ninja anymore. I was given maternity leave of course, but recently I've started taking classes. I'm going to be an Academy Instructor, like Iruka." She explains.

Sasuke blinks. He felt guilty that she was giving up being a combat ninja because of him. Likely, she had decided to do so because she didn't want to risk dying on a mission as a single parent. It was a logical choice, but it still stung.

"If you would be prefer to be a combat ninja, you don't have to change specializations anymore." He says.

He didn't need to say it. Sasuke was sure the implication hung heavily in the air. The unspoken, _"I'm here. If something happens to you, I'll take care of him,"_ didn't really need to be said.

"Thank you, but I want to. I don't really like hurting people, even if it's for a good reason. That and I think it will really help with reintegrating me in the village. I've isolated myself a bit because of everything that was going on. People need to get used to seeing me again." Hinata says.

That made him feel a little less guilty. It was easier to see her surrounded by a bunch of young children and preteens in a classroom than to imagine her in life or death battles.

He knew that she was a Jonin. Hinata was a more than capable ninja, but her gentle nature was at odds with her occupation. It likely always had been.

"Well I'm sure that you will make a wonderful teacher." Sasuke offers.

"Thank you. Well I have to go. I don't want to keep Iruka Sensei waiting." She says as she darts off.

"Sasuke?" Kurenai asks once Hinata was out of earshot.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He knew what was coming, but he would humor her. He supposed that everyone that cared about Hinata was obligated to threaten him at least once.

"Yes, Kurenai?" He replies.

"If you hurt Hinata, I want you to remember that my specialization is Genjutsu. Genjutsu isn't your strongest suit and I am fully capable of making you think that you are a five year old girl whose dreams of becoming a ballerina. I can make you believe that for the rest of your life. Please do keep that in mind." She says with a sweet smile.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

Well that was certainly one of the more creative threats that he had heard thus far. It was also more effective than what Kiba, Shino, Neji, and Hanabi had given him. He really didn't know how to respond to that.

"Understood. I wouldn't have it any other way and apparently, neither would Seiko." Sasuke muses as he hears Seiko wake up and begin giggling.

"Good. I'm surprised that you have been, you know? Well actually, I'm not sure how to put this tactfully." She trails off.

"You're surprised that I've been a good Uchiha and haven't tried to destroy the Leaf, after what Hiashi did to my family? Oh believe me, I was angry with Hiashi. I still am, but I have to think of Seiko now. If I lash out, he and Hinata are going to be the ones that will suffer most." Sasuke says with a sigh.

"That's true. I'm very proud of you and I'm sure Kakashi will be once he hears that as well." She informs him with a smile.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Since when was Kurenai close to Kakashi? Then he mentally slaps himself. They had both been Senseis at the same time. Honestly, it was likely that all the Senseis were close. Being colleagues with someone, did tend to result in a certain level of closeness.

"How's Kakashi doing anyway?" Sasuke asks a bit warily.

"Oh he's doing well. He's trying his hand at becoming a writer." The Genjutsu Mistress informs him.

"Please tell me that he's not going to pick up where Jirayia left off." Sasuke pleads.

"Alright. I won't tell you." Kurenai laughs and Sasuke just groans as he smacks his forehead in frustration. (Was everyone in this village insane, except for Hinata and Seiko?)

Elsewhere, Hiashi Hyuga sighs as he talks a walk around the village. He was heading towards the market. As he was on his way there, Hiashi saw that Hinata was passing through as well.

He frowns as he sees his daughter. The Hyuga Patriarch hadn't wanted to disown her, but he really had no choice. If he didn't punish her, the rest of the Clan would think it was alright to mix bloodlines whenever they desired.

"The Byakugan has to be protected." He mutters to himself as rubs his temples in a futile effort to drive away the seething pain in his forehead.

If they weren't Hyugas, he might have been able to look the other way. The Byakugan was an amazing asset in battle, but it came at a price. Your freedom.

One had to wave certain rights to ensure that it was protected and passed on. The Branch Members paid the biggest price, but even the Main House sometimes had to make sacrifices. In his case, he had to sacrifice his eldest daughter and his grandson.

He honestly had no idea what Seiko would be capable of once he reached adult hood or even Academy Age and that scared him. Perhaps he would simply inherit the Byakugan and the Sharingan was recessive? The reverse was just as likely though. The possibility that intrigued and frightened him the most though was the creation of an entirely new bloodline trait.

"Would you prefer those apples in a bag or in a box, Lord Hiashi?" The man operating the fruit stand inquires.

"Oh a box, please. Thank you." He mutters hastily as he watches Hinata's form walk towards the Academy.

As much as he was loathed to admit it, the Uchiha had sired a rather adorable son. He wouldn't have thought that anything Sasuke helped to create would be so _cute._ He was certainly not a man to use that word lightly, but it was true.

It pained him in a way, that Sasuke was currently being a better father than he was. His family's honor had been insulted and he had reacted. Instead of going into a blind rage and killing Hiashi, he had decided to something far worse. Sasuke had humiliated him.

"You're welcome. Have a good day." The man says and Hiashi nods.

He felt rather self-conscious with that mark on his forehead. Hiashi was aware that he could easily get it healed at the hospital, but then he would have to explain what happened. That and it would give Sasuke too much satisfaction. The Uchiha would know that he had rattled him and asked for help. That would just be unacceptable.

"Father!" Hanabi says as she comes racing down the street.

Hiashi smiles. Well at least one of his daughters hadn't temporarily gone insane and taken a former criminal as her lover. Then again, Hanabi was a bit young for such things to be a major concern. In a few short years though, that wouldn't be the case.

"Hanabi. It is good to see you. I take it your mission was a success?" He asks.

Hanabi was now on a ninja team and they were just starting to take slightly more risky missions. In time, she would make an excellent Clan Leader.

"Yes, it was. Father, was that Hinata?" She inquires.

Hiashi sighs. Hanabi likely thought that she was being sneaky. She wasn't though. He was well aware that Neji and his daughter were regularly sneaking off to see Hinata. He just didn't have the heart to actually punish them.

"Yes, that was Hinata. I believe she is heading towards the Academy. Come. Let's go home. Perhaps one of the Branch Members will prepare us a lovely apple pie for dinner." He reason.

"That would be nice. I do love apple pie." Hanabi says with a forced smile as she walks off with the Hyuga Patriarch.

He knew that Hanabi and Hinata were close. It pained them that they had to be "separated" in this way. For the one thousandth time since the disownment, Hiashi tried to remind himself that he had done the right thing. It got harder to believe that every day though.

Back at Hinata's apartment, Sasuke decides that it was time to introduce his son to someone very special. Unfortunately, the apartment was far too small for that someone to come inside. So he would have to improvise.

"I'll just leave a clone to tell your mother where we went, if she gets back before us." Sasuke says as he forms a clone and leaves a note on the fridge, before heading off with Seiko towards one of the more secluded Leaf Training Grounds.

Seiko looks up at the big person curiously. Hmm. Where was he taking him? What were they going to be doing?

Seiko had decided that this was a nice big person. He kept giving him lots of toys and fed him a lot. He also always seemed happy to see him. The young Uchiha hadn't really decided what to call this big person yet. He'd come up with something though.

"Don't be scared. I just want Aoda to get used to you. That's all. He likes kids. He's a friendly snake. Well most of the time." Sasuke assures Seiko.

The infant tilts his head to the side in confusion. He did recognize one word there. Snake. Uh oh. Mini Mommy wasn't too fond of snakes.

"AODA!" Sasuke calls out after performing the necessary technique to summon the giant serpent.

Seiko's eyes go wide. He had seen snakes on the strange box before. The strange box that Long Hair called a tv. The snakes that he had seen on the tv were a lot smaller though. This one was bigger than his house!

"Yes, Master Sasuke?" Aoda asks.

"Aoda, I want you to meet my son. This is Seiko. You are to treat him and his mother EXACTLY as you would treat me." Sasuke informs him.

Aoda blinks. He wasn't aware that Sasuke had a Mate, much less a hatchling. Curious, he looks down into the stroller.

"Of course, Master Sasuke. Your hatchling favors you quite strongly. There is no question who sired him." He muses.

Sasuke nods proudly. That was right. Anyone could tell by looking at Seiko that he was the baby's father. He watches his son and Aoda carefully.

The eldest Uchiha knew that Aoda wouldn't harm Seiko. He wasn't entirely certain how the infant would react though. He had known many grown ninjas who would cower at the mere sight of Aoda. If Seiko started crying, he wouldn't be surprised.

"Yes, he does. He's never seen a snake your size before though. If he starts crying, it's not your fault." Sasuke assures him.

"Of course. Humans can be rather skittish creatures at times. He looks like a healthy hatchling. Was it a single egg?" Aoda inquires.

He knew that humans generally only had one hatchling at a time. He wasn't really sure why. It seemed like a rather stupid reproductive strategy to evolve. Their pregnancies were long and generally didn't produce many offspring. It was a wonder that they hadn't gone extinct really.

"Yes, it was a single egg." Sasuke replies in amusement.

As far as he could tell, Aoda sincerely thought that humans laid eggs like snakes. Presumably really big eggs. He just didn't have the patience to explain human biology to him at the moment. So Sasuke was just going to humor terminology.

Seiko stares wide eyed at Aoda. He reaches out his chubby little hands curiously and "pets" him. Hmm. He'd never felt anything like snake scales before. That was interesting. He pets him some more.

"He's also fearless, just like his sire. You and your Mate must be very proud. Where is she?" Aoda asks.

"She's at the Academy. She's going to be an Instructor there. Hinata and I aren't Mates. Well not exactly." Sasuke mutters.

Aoda glances at Sasuke in confusion. Was this some kind of joke? He was seriously trying to claim that he hadn't taken a Mate, when Aoda was looking right at his hatchling?

"Master Sasuke, are you quite well? It's obvious that you have taken a Mate. Otherwise the hatchling would not be here." The snake inquires.

"We only Mated once. I'm not really sure if she wants to be Life Mates." Sasuke tells him.

He figured that was the easiest way to make him understand. Aoda wasn't human. He might talk like a human, but he was still a serpent. The reptile just had a different way of looking at the world than he did.

"Oh. That happens sometimes. Well now that she has seen that you gave her such a healthy hatchling, I'm sure she'll come around. That's assuming of course, you want her to be your Life Mate." Aoda says good-naturedly as he continues to enjoy the petting session Seiko was giving him.

 _"That's assuming of course, that you want her to be your Life Mate."_ Sasuke blinks after Aoda said that. He honestly didn't know how to feel about that statement.

Aoda didn't mean any harm by it. He wasn't prying or trying to push. The snake had just presented the issue in black and white terms. Yes or no.

"Thanks, Aoda." Sasuke says awkwardly.

Did he want to be with Hinata? She was beautiful, an amazing lover, and obviously a wonderful mother. Those were all good things, but she was also innocent compared to him. Hinata was kind and shy. He would probably end up hurting her, even if it was unintentional.

A few hours later, Hinata gets home and smiles when she sees Sasuke. Well she thought it was Sasuke, but it was actually a clone. That's when he shows her the note.

 _ **Dear Hinata,**_

 _ **I decided to get some light training in and brought Seiko with me. We are at Training Ground Number 8.**_

 _ **Sasuke.**_

"Oh God." She mutters as she takes off towards the training ground horrified.

She wasn't entirely certain what Sasuke considered light training, but she knew that it likely wasn't very safe. It wouldn't be safe for Seiko to be around. Hinata was happy that Sasuke wanted to bond with their son, really. This though was different than buying him one too many teddy bears. This could actually be dangerous.

When she arrived at the training grounds, she stumbled upon the oddest sight that she had ever seen. A snake the size of a two story building was leaning over a baby stroller and a small hand seemed to be petting the side of his face. Sasuke was off to the side and watching the exchange.

"Y-ou introduced our s-on to your Summon?" She stammers out in disbelief.

"Of course, I did. Aoda is my Summon. He's not going to hurt him. Besides, I figured it was a good idea to introduce you two to him. Aoda is a great asset in battle. He can protect the two of you." Sasuke says as if it was obvious.

That was oddly sweet in a strange way. Unfortunately for Sasuke, that wasn't enough to calm Hinata's nerves. Her instincts were screaming at her that there was a very large and dangerous predator next to her baby!

"Sasuke, what if something happened?! What if Aoda lost control and hurt Seiko?!" She demands.

Uh oh. Sasuke watches as Hinata begins going into what was probably her version of a rage. Her maternal instincts were kicking in.

"He's perfectly safe, Hinata. I wouldn't allow anything to hurt our baby." Sasuke assures her.

Hinata knew on some level that she was being ridiculous. Sasuke adored Seiko. He wouldn't let Aoda near him, if it wasn't safe. She couldn't help it though. It was unnerving to see such a large snake by her very defenseless son.

"Alright. Though I would l-ike it, if you didn't summon any potentially lethal animals around our son, when I'm not a-round." She mumbles.

"You're right. I should have asked first. I'm sorry." Sasuke says as he walks over to her.

Seiko tilts his head. He wasn't sure if mommy was scared or mad really. He reaches out for her and tries to comfort his mother. Something was a bit off.

"Oh it's okay, Seiko. I was just worried about you." She whispers as she scoops him up and cuddles him.

The youngest Uchiha coos happily. That was better. Whenever mommy cuddled him, everything was alright.

Sasuke smiles. It was a beautiful sight. The way she would hold Seiko and he was so happy to be safely snuggled into her arms. He just wished that he actually deserved to see it.

"Well I guess it's alright. He doesn't seem scared. I'm sorry, Aoda. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Hinata mumbles.

"It's alright, Mistress Hinata. You were just protecting your hatchling. My Mate was the first way when we had our first clutch." He muses.

This prompts curious looks from both Hinata and Sasuke. Aoda had kids?! That was an interesting thought to ponder to say the least.

"I didn't know you had children." Sasuke says.

"Oh well you never asked. I have many hatchlings, actually." Aoda informs him.

Sasuke was almost scared to ask. Curiosity, got the better of him though. He had to know.

"How many hatchlings do you have?" Sasuke asks.

"Oh 128. 75 of them are boys and the rest are girls." Aoda says proudly and the ninjas just stare at him in shock.

"We have had several successful clutches." Aoda continues as if having over a hundred children was perfectly normal.

"Clearly. Well I'm going to take them home. You can go back to your family now, Aoda." Sasuke says and the giant snake disappears in a poof of smoke.

Hinata blinks. She still couldn't really process that. Caring for Seiko was a full time job and he was just one child. She could only imagine having that many children.

"He's friendly. If you'll let me, I'd like to teach you how to summon snakes." Sasuke says.

"You want to teach me what?" Hinata asks.

"I want to make sure that you and Seiko are safe. I'm not always going to be at your side. I want you to have every option available to you possible, to protect yourself and our son. So if you like, I want to teach you how to summon snakes and maybe how to use a sword." Sasuke informs her.

Hinata blinks. Sasuke wanted to train with her essentially. It was touching, really. In his own way, he was saying that he cared.

"Alright. I guess it couldn't hurt." She muses.

"Good." Sasuke says and they head home together.

As they were walking home, Kurenai's words echoed in Hinata's ears. _"Oh. Well that's cute. It's nice to see that they have things in common already. How are the two of you getting along?" Kurenai asks cautiously._ Hinata still didn't know the proper answer to that question.

Sasuke obviously loved Seiko and cared about her in his own way. Whether his concern for her was due to the fact that she was the mother of his child or that he loved her, she wasn't entirely sure. Did she want them to be lovers again?

She bites her lower lip as she considers it. Sasuke was certainly attractive and she already knew that he was very _attentive_ and _affectionate_ when he wanted to be. They already had a child together. So it wasn't like he wasn't at least physically attracted to her.

"I'm going to continue looking for a house tomorrow." Sasuke tells her.

"Oh good. It is starting to get a little cramped in the apartment." She admits.

"Yeah. A little." Sasuke agrees.

She didn't really know much about him though. Hinata knew that he was a powerful ninja, he was intelligent, Sasuke was a devoted father, and preferred to sleep in. Unfortunately, she was also aware that he had a dark side. It wasn't his fault, but Sasuke's initial instinct was always to react with violence. Though, he could control that. He had shown that during First Blood.

"Maybe." She whispers.

"Maybe what?" Sasuke asks.

"Oh nothing. It's nothing. I was just thinking out loud." She mumbles quickly.

Thankfully, Sasuke also wasn't one to pry. That was nice. Most people would have pressed on. Sasuke decided to take her at her word though and Hinata breathes a sigh of relief.

Maybe. Maybe they could be more than just friends who happened to have a son together. She bites her lower lip and decides that the best approach would probably be to just let things happen. If it was meant to be, it would happen. If it wasn't, well at least Seiko had his father in his life now and that was a very good thing.


	6. Chapter 6

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. As promised, you'll start to see more romance developing from this chapter onward. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Who can resist sword jokes? No, Sasuke isn't really THAT forward. Hinata just takes something he says the wrong way.

Chapter 6

"The most important thing to remember is to grip it properly. If your hold is too gentle, it will fall out of your hands. If your grip is too hard, it will be painful. I know that it's a big sword, but don't let that intimidate you. Just try a few strokes and see how it feels." Sasuke says to Hinata, a few days later.

Her face immediately turns as red as one of his beloved tomatoes and she squeaks. She couldn't believe that he was asking for THAT in such a blatant manner! Not that she was completely opposed to becoming lovers again, but she hadn't expected him to be so direct.

"S-asuke!" She stammers out in shock.

It was a lazy Sunday morning and Sasuke had just fully woken up a few minutes ago. He was eager to begin Hinata's training. The eldest Uchiha had decided he'd begin by teaching her how to properly grip a sword.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at her unexpected reaction. He had no idea what she was so embarrassed about. Why she blushing about him giving her a few tips on how to hold a sword?

"Hinata, are you alright? I know that you aren't used to playing with swords, but it's just a training session." The raven haired man replies in amusement.

 _Training Session?!_ Was that Sasuke's nickname for sex? That was a new one. She still couldn't help but gape at the eldest Uchiha's forwardness.

"I don't know if this is a good idea, but I'm glad that you at least waited until Seiko was at Kurenai's to ask." She whispers..

"Hinata, what are you talking about? Why isn't it right for me to teach you how to use a sword in front of Seiko?" Sasuke asks as he withdraws his blade from its sheathe.

Yesterday, Sasuke had told Hinata that he wanted to begin her training on Sunday. Hinata had woken up before Sasuke and taken Seiko to Kurenai's. The Genjutsu Mistress was also a mother and an excellent Sensei. There were few people that Hinata trusted more with Seiko at the moment and Sasuke hadn't raised any objections to Kurenai watching their son.

Hinata considered that something of a miracle really. Sasuke was extremely protective of Seiko. She supposed that the fact that Kurenai was already a mother probably had something to do with it. She knew what she was doing and Sasuke knew that.

Hinata was distracted from her internal musings, when she saw Sasuke withdraw his sword from its sheathe. Ohhh. Sasuke had meant his actual sword. It wasn't a metaphor for his OTHER sword.

"Oh on second thought, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a training session. You're right. I was just being overprotective." She stammers.

"Alright. If you're sure, I guess we can get started. I had no idea that you felt that strongly about this type of thing. Were you really that worried about dropping the sword while we were training and accidentally hitting Seiko?" Sasuke asks.

He was still utterly baffled at why Hinata was so flustered over a training session. Sasuke was almost positive that she had never held a sword before, but he still thought that Hinata was overreacting. The only logical explanation that he could come up with was that she was worried that Seiko would somehow get hurt, if they trained together.

"A little. I know that it's silly, but I can't help it." She says.

"I wouldn't let anything like that happen. It's not silly though. You're just being a good mother. Though maybe you are being just a little overprotective. Come on. Let's go to the training grounds." Sasuke says as he offers her his hand.

Hinata smiles and takes it. Training was safe. They were both ninjas. It was something both of them understood. While she hadn't used a sword before, it was better than explaining why she had become so flustered when he had given her his _helpful tips_ about the proper way to handle a sword.

Sasuke teleports them off in a swirl of flames. When they arrive, he places his sword in her hands and nods at her encouragingly. Hinata felt her face heat up again.

"The most important thing for a beginning is to learn the right way to grip it and find their balance. If you don't have balance, you are going to get knocked over." Sasuke warns her as he places his hands over hers to help her hold the sword.

"Got it." She whispers and Sasuke nods.

"Good. You're likely going to be very sore after this training session. It doesn't matter how strong you are. Most people end up working muscles that they don't use much after they seriously practice with this weapon for the first time. Eventually, your body adjusts." The raven haired man assures her.

"Okay." She says as she swings the sword a few times.

Sasuke places his arms against her to guide her in the strokes. He smiles as he does so. There weren't really many ninjas left these days who had the courage to train with him anymore.

He was essentially down to Kakashi, Naruto, Jugo, Suigetsu, and now Hinata. Though Jugo and Suigetsu had gone back to the Sound Village. So it was nice to have someone else who was willing to train with him.

"That's a good start. You have excellent balance." Sasuke whispers into her ear.

The raven haired ninja figured it was a Hyuga thing. He wasn't going to say so though. He didn't want to bring up painful memories.

Sasuke had promised Hinata that he wouldn't kill Hiashi. He had kept his promise. He couldn't lie though. The thought of Hiashi walking around with that mark on his forehead, brought a smirk to his face. Sasuke considered it poetic justice. He deserved that and worse for what the Hyuga Patriarch had done to his family.

"Th-anks." Hinata says as she swings the sword around some more.

Sasuke smiles as he watches her. Yes, it was nice to have a new training partner. He couldn't be as aggressive with Hinata as he was with Naruto though. That was okay. That didn't mean that both of them couldn't benefit from the additional training.

When Seiko got older, Sasuke would train with him. He'd show him how to use Fire Style, just like his father had taught him and his father before that. It had been passed down for hundreds of years throughout his Clan.

"That's a good start." He offers.

Fathers usually taught their sons. Mothers almost always taught their daughters. Naturally, there were a few exceptions. Sometimes mothers taught their sons or fathers taught their daughters, if the other parent had died or for other reasons.

In his Clan, that was the mark of adulthood. Could you cast a Fire Jutsu or not? It didn't matter how old you were. Once you could do that, you were an adult. Idly, he wondered if Hyugas had a similar rite of passage.

"Thank you." Hinata says as she continues practicing.

He wasn't going to teach her any specific moves at the moment. Sasuke just wanted her to get used to wielding a sword in the most generic sense possible. Besides, he was admiring the view.

Training with Hinata was a lot more fun than training with Naruto for that simple reason. Her breasts might be confined to her Jonin Vest and whatever she was wearing underneath it, but there was still a slight jiggle. He also liked watching the way those long legs of hers and that backside would move when she lunged forward.

"I've been spending too much time with Kakashi." He mutters under his breath.

"What?" Hinata asks innocently and Sasuke rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

"It's nothing. Keep practicing. You are doing great. You're doing much better than I did the first time that I tried this." The other ninja informs her.

Hinata tilts her head to the side. She had a very hard time believing that. Still she had never really known Sasuke to lie before. So if he said that she was doing better than he had, Sasuke was probably telling the truth.

"That's good to know." She whispers.

Sasuke mentally sighs in relief that she hadn't pressed further. He really wasn't sure what their relationship was at the moment. He didn't want to pressure her.

While his mind wasn't entirely sure that becoming an official couple was a good idea, his body certainly didn't mind the fact. Hormones could be very annoying. His twelve year old self wouldn't have had such a hard time focusing on a training session with her. Damn it.

The next day, Hinata practically limps to the Academy. Sasuke wasn't kidding about the sore muscle thing. Thankfully, she was able to lean on the stroller for support.

"Ah ha! I was wondering when everyone was going to get a look!" A Jonin calls out as he approaches her.

"Get a look at what?" Hinata asks in confusion.

Hinata recognized his face, but not his name. He was probably around ten years older than her. She didn't know what he wanted, but he was walking towards them.

"At the demon baby. Rumor is that this is Sasuke Uchiha's brat. Everyone's been dying to get a look." He says as he looks into the stroller and picks up Seiko.

Hinata didn't care for that at all. She was about to reach for her son, when the Jonin suddenly cries out in pain and drops Seiko back into the stroller.

"AHH! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! THAT FREAK ELECTROCUTED ME!" He snarls in pain.

Seiko cries and glares at the man who picked him up. He didn't know this man and he didn't like the way he was looking at him. Most people were happy to see him. This man was looking at him funny and he didn't like it. He especially didn't like it when the stranger picked him up.

"…" Kakashi watches the scene in shock and was rendered speechless for a few minutes.

He had been on his way to the Academy to check on how things were going, when he witnessed the entire scene. Clearly, Kaiz had been curious about Sasuke's son. It looked like Seiko took after Sasuke.

"Don't you touch my son again!" Hinata yells at him.

That was obviously, a very primitive and weak version of the Chidori. It was likely that the Kaiz had just gotten a nasty spark that was a bit more painful than static electricity. Obviously, he hadn't been expecting to be "attacked" and that was why he reacted so poorly.

"Brat just surprised me is all. Oh don't try to act tough. You aren't the Hyuga Princess anymore. You're about as threatening as a kitten." Kaiz informs her.

Well both Hinata and Sasuke had lightning/fire affinities. Perhaps it was to be expected that Seiko's chakra nature would be lightning. Kakashi just hadn't expected him to manifest it was an infant.

Kakashi sighs. He was going to have to intervene here or a bloodbath would likely result. He walks over to do so, when he realized Hinata had already reacted. SMACK!

"YOU BITCH! YOU JUST ATTACKED ANOTHER LEAF VILLAGER! That demon is rubbing off on you. You're just as much of a traitor as he is! Wait till the Hokage finds out about this!" He snarls at Hinata and was about to strike her, when he got slammed into a nearby tree.

A black, white, and blue blur had darted across the street and thrown him. Hinata couldn't see who it was at first. Once the blur finally stopped moving and spoke, she knew though.

"Kaiz, if you EVER even think about touching MY son or his mother again, I will show you what a real demon is." Sasuke hisses.

Kaiz gulps. He heard rumors that Sasuke was back. He hadn't believed them though. That would be a rather short journey of redemption.

He wasn't kidding when he called Sasuke a demon. Looking into the menacing ruby red of his Sharingan and the inhuman lavender of the Rinnegan was nothing short of terrifying. This man wasn't even human in his mind. It was at that moment, that he truly thought he was going to die.

"Alright. Alright. I think you've made your point, Sasuke. Kaiz, I am very disappointed in you. You would actually try to strike a young mother and insult her newborn? That is very disgusting behavior and it dishonors our village." Kakashi says as he saunters over.

Kaiz sighs in relief, when he saw Kakashi. Kakashi was the Hokage. Surely, he wouldn't allow Sasuke to murder him in cold blood.

"You aren't seriously going to stop me from taking out the trash, are you?" Sasuke demands as he glances at Kakashi.

"Sasuke, I admire how vigorously you are willing to defend your family. His behavior was inexcusable. Though I don't think going around and killing everyone who offends you is the best way to win over the hearts and minds of the other villagers." The silver haired ninja points out.

Sasuke glares at Kaiz. The CopyCat Ninja was right. If he wanted to become an accepted member of the Leaf Village again, violence couldn't be his first solution to everything.

He knew that he had a problem. While Sasuke wasn't a sadistic person in general, he could be extremely sadistic towards specific targets. Targets like scum who would dare to raise their hand at his son and Hinata. Scum who should be castrated, so they couldn't pollute the gene pool. Preferably, he would carry out this procedure with a rusty kunai.

"You're right. Hinata, are you okay? Is Seiko okay?" Sasuke asks.

"I'm alright. Seiko is as well. He apparently takes after you. A lot." The bluenette says cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asks in confusion.

It was at that point that Kaiz tried to sneak off. That didn't go according to plan. Just when he thought he was almost free, Sasuke threw another punch at him. A punch that was sure to result in a nasty black eye.

"Remember what I said. If you ever even think about touching either of them again, not even Kakashi will save you. I will make your death slow and painful. I learned a lot of interesting ways to kill while at the Sound Village. I could drag your death out for weeks." The elder Uchiha hisses at him and Kaiz runs away in terror.

Kakashi just shakes his head. Well it was nice to see that Sasuke was making "friends." He was just as social as ever. To be fair, this time the other person had actually done something to deserve his wrath.

"Well now that that's over, Hinata would you like me to escort you to the Academy? I believe that we are both heading there anyway." Kakashi offers.

"That would be very nice. Thank you. Sasuke, I'll see you when I get home" Hinata says with a smile as she pushes the stroller and heads off with Kakashi.

"After you are done at the Academy, it may be a good idea to take Seiko to the hospital. He doesn't seem to be in any pain, but it's best to get him checked out. If he starts crying or acting unusually, I would leave for the hospital at once though." Kakashi says once they were out of earshot of Sasuke and Hinata nods in agreement.

Once it was clear that his family was alright, Sasuke leaves to continue his search for a suitable house. Hinata would be fine. She was with Kakashi. No one was going to pick a fight with her while she was with the Hokage.

Meanwhile Kurenai corners Hiashi on his way back to the Hyuga Estate. She knew that there was now a lot of bad blood between him and Sasuke. Still she had to try. She knew that Hinata would be much happier, if all of her family were on better terms.

"Kurenai." He states simply as he greets her.

He recognized the Genjutsu Mistress of course. She was Hinata's former Sensei and another Jonin. He hoped that this was just happenstance. If she wanted to plead for him to reconcile with Hinata, things would become awkward. Unfortunately, that turned out to be exactly what she wanted to do.

"Hiashi, I know that I'm not a Hyuga. I can't just stand by and do nothing though. This isn't necessary. You didn't have to disown her and Seiko. You could undo it. You could have your daughter back and get to know your grandson." She says.

Hiashi sighs. He had been afraid that this was what she might done. He couldn't blame her. Kurenai had always been a kind woman. Of course, she was going to empathize with her student. It was only natural.

"I understand that you and Hinata are close. She is your student. You are a caring instructor, but you are right. You aren't a Hyuga. This is a family affair. My decision is final." He states firmly.

"Would you have preferred that she freeze to death?" Kurenai snaps at him.

She knew that losing her temper was a bad move. The Genjutsu Mistress couldn't help it though. He was just so damn stubborn! It was infuriating!

"Of course not! Despite what you may think, I am not a monster. I love both of my daughters deeply. That is why I can not condone her actions. If she were to promise that Sasuke would have nothing to do with that child, then perhaps I might be able to take her back. I can't otherwise though. There is more at stake here than meets the eye." He replies.

How dare she judge him?! What right did this woman have to judge him?! Kurenai wasn't a Hyuga. She didn't know what protecting the Byakugan meant.

"I don't think you are a monster. I just think you are foolish. Sasuke didn't kill you. I see that Mark on your head. He's the one who gave it to you, isn't he?" The red eyed ninja demands.

Hiashi felt himself twitch. He certainly didn't need to be reminded of that day. That day when Sasuke had humiliated him.

Having the Seal placed upon his head, was the ultimate humiliation. He looked like a Branch Member. In some ways, killing him would have been kinder. Thankfully, the rest of his Clan knew better than to comment on his scar publicly. In private though, he was well aware it was another matter.

"Yes, he is the one that gave it to me. It just shows how sadistic he is. There are few ways he could have attacked my honor more viciously." He mutters.

"Hiashi, we both know that he could have done a lot worse than that. It'll eventually heal over. If it really bothers you that much, I'm sure any medic could fix it." Kurenai offers.

He twitches once more. Oh he was well aware that any reasonably competent medic could heal his battle scar easily. It would be as though it never happened. While that was tempting, he wouldn't give Sasuke the satisfaction of seeing how much the mark affected him. He had his pride.

"I'm certain that they could. We both know what that would mean though. It would mean that he won." Hiashi says as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Hiashi, he did win. He drew First Blood. I suppose it doesn't matter. If you want to walk around with the scar on your head a little longer, it doesn't really hurt anyone. I wish you would reconsider though. Hinata is your daughter. She loves you. Seiko would love you too, if you gave him a chance." Kurenai tells him.

The Hyuga Patriarch sighs. Every day, it became more difficult to do what he thought was the right thing. Part of him did want to reconcile with Hinata. He would like to get to know his grandson. It would be wrong though. He had to stand firm in his resolve. It was for the good of the Clan as a whole.

"I know all of that. Trust me when I say that I get no pleasure out of the way that things are currently, but it must be done to protect the Byakugan." The lavender eyed man says.

"Very well. I do hope that you eventually change your mind. You are missing out on a rather adorable grandson because you're too stubborn to admit when you are wrong. If you can live with that, that is your decision." Kurenai says as he walks off.

"Damn her." He mutters under his breath.

Kurenai had no right to interfere like that. He was trying to do the right thing. It was difficult enough to do so, without her poking and prodding at him in such an outrageous manner.

He sighs as he heads home. He needed a drink. Preferably a really strong one. Hiashi Hyuga had no idea how he was going to cope with the fact that Sasuke Uchiha was his grandson's father, but a drink seemed like a fine place to start. It was a habit that he rarely indulged in, but who could blame him at the moment? Given the circumstances, one drink seemed like a very small indulgence.

Elsewhere in the village, Sasuke was very pleased with himself. He had managed to find a house. He wasn't entirely certain what Hinata considered to be a medium sized house, but he decided this would do.

"I'll take it." He says simply.

"Wonderful. H-ow would you like to pay for it? We h-ave several options. The fastest plan takes ten years to pay off, but it has the biggest payments. The slowest plan takes thirty, with the smallest payments. There are also several plans between those two." The very nervous real estate agent says.

Sasuke was rather impressed that the agent was coherent. Obviously, the middle aged man with graying brown hair and chocolate brown eyes was terrified of him. The Uchiha couldn't blame him. He was rather infamous.

"I'll l just pay it all off now. It's easier that way." Sasuke says simply.

The agent blinks. He wanted to pay in full? That was almost unheard of. Then again, he wasn't dumb enough to argue with this stroke of good luck. He'd rather finish the business transaction alive than dead.

"Wonderful. Well I shall have to go get the deed, but here is the key to the house. You can of course make copies to it. Congratulations." He says.

"Thank you." Sasuke says as the man politely made a swift exit.

Sasuke shakes his head and decides to explore the house some more. It was white and two stories. There were four bedrooms, two bathrooms, one kitchen, a living room, a laundry room, an attic, a basement, and a room that he assumed was meant to be a study. It also came with a sizable yard and was located only a short walk from the Academy.

He figured that Hinata would appreciate that last part. She was going to be an Academy Instructor, after all and eventually Seiko would be attending classes there. All in all, he was feeling rather pleased with his purchase.

"Well if I hurry, I can pick up something for dinner and arrive back at Hinata's place, just before she gets home. Then I can take them here." He muses to himself as he heads off to do exactly that.

Sasuke makes his way to the ramen shop. Fortunately, they sold things other than just ramen. He picks himself up a tomato salad and Hinata up a steak dinner. Naturally, he was just about to head home when he bumped into Naruto.

"Hey, bastard! It's good to see you. I didn't know you liked ramen." The blonde says.

He wanted to say something to his friend. Naruto wanted to apologize for not being there for Hinata, but he couldn't find the right words. So the blonde latched onto a safe topic. Food.

"Ramen's tolerable, but they sell other things besides ramen here. I have to go. Hinata is going to be home soon." Sasuke says.

Naruto blinks. He wasn't really sure how to patch up things with Sasuke or what the nature of his relationship with the shy ninja was. They had a son together, but as far as he could tell it had been a one time thing.

Of course, they were going to be around each other a lot. That was a given. Both of them wanted to take care of Seiko, but that didn't necessarily mean they were together, together though.

"So are you two living together now?" He asks in confusion.

Sasuke wanted to smack his forehead in frustration. He couldn't believe that the idiot had asked him that in public. Naruto had actually asked him that when someone else might overhear him. Now gossip about his relationship with Hinata was bound to spread like wildfire. All because Naruto had all the subtly of a bull in a China Shop.

"Come on. I'm sure that she'll want to catch up with you as well." Sasuke says as he drags Naruto off.

"Whoa! Easy there, bastard!" The blonde says once they were out of earshot.

"You are such an idiot. I don't want my relationship with Hinata to be the subject of anymore gossip than it already is. I already had to put one insect in his place. He actually had the nerve to touch MY son and tried to hit Hinata. I'm not dealing with anymore stupidity today." He mutters.

"WAIT. WHAT?! Someone tried to hit Hinata and Seiko?" Naruto demands.

Sasuke nods in confirmation. He was pleased to see his friend was suitably outraged on his behalf.

"Damn. I swear, I had no idea. Who was the jerk that was picking on a mother and her baby?" Naruto asks as they walk towards Hinata's apartment.

"Jonin. His name is Kaiz. I threw him against a tree and gave him a black eye. I would have done worse, but Kakashi showed up." Sasuke informs Naruto.

"I don't blame you. He deserved way worse than that. I would have Rasenganed him." Naruto says thoughtfully and Sasuke nods his head in agreement.

Soon enough they reach the apartment and Sasuke opens the door. The two of them carry the food to the kitchen. A few minutes later, Hinata and Seiko arrive home.

"Hinata! I'm so glad to see you. I'm really sorry about everything. The bastard told me what happened. Did he Kaiz really try to hit you?" Naruto demands.

"Yes, he did. It's alright, Naruto. It's not your fault. Seiko was upset when he got picked up by a stranger and reacted. That's what set Kaiz off." Hinata explains.

"He reacted how? What did he try to bite him?" Sasuke asks with a raised eyebrow.

Hinata sighs. She wasn't really sure how to explain this. Honestly, she was thinking about taking Seiko for another checkup. It wasn't normal for a baby to use chakra.

"He Chidoried Kaiz. Well sorta. I mean it was obviously much more mild and it wasn't refined. It was similar to Gaara's sand in a way. I think that he just instinctively reacted." Hinata whispers.

"Whoa! Bastard, your kid is a genius! I've never heard of a baby using chakra before. You two had a super baby!" Naruto says happily.

Seiko chose that moment to coo. It was as if he knew that he was being talked about. Sasuke just looks at Hinata in shock.

"Maybe we should take him to Tsunade. I don't know if it's safe for him to be using chakra this young." Sasuke says.

"I was thinking the same thing." Hinata agrees.

"Loser, do you want to come with us?" Sasuke asks and Naruto nods.

He hadn't been there for Hinata's pregnancy. The blonde felt like he had let his friend down, but he could be there now. At the very least, they could go to the hospital together to make sure that Seiko was okay.

"Yeah. I'm coming." Naruto says.

"Good." Sasuke replies and the group heads off towards the hospital.

Sasuke didn't know how to feel about any of this. On one hand, he was proud. His son was clearly a prodigy. On the other hand, he was concerned. What if he had damaged his chakra pathways or something by activating them so early? That was why the three ninjas and infants were heading to the hospital so quickly. They had to find out if Seiko was okay.

"Don't worry. Granny Tsunade will know what's going on." Naruto assures his friends.

"I hope so." Hinata mumbles as they race off towards the hospital.

She didn't know what she would do, if something happened to her son. Seiko was her world. He didn't seem upset though. Maybe he was okay. Tsunade would know though. She had to know. If she didn't, Hinata didn't know what she was going to do.


	7. Chapter 7

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you guys all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 7

Tsunade had just finished a physical, when she was walking down the hall and saw them. Hinata, Sasuke, Seiko, and Naruto. Uh oh. She knew that Sasuke was back and had been for awhile, but she hadn't seen him since his return.

"What's wrong?" The busty blonde demands.

"We should probably go into one of the exam rooms before we tell you. It's more private there." Hinata says quickly.

Tsunade raises an eyebrow. She could only imagine what sort of medical issue might require more privacy. That certainly didn't sound good. Her imagination coming up with all sorts of gruesome possibilities.

"Alright. Follow me." She says as she leads them into an empty exam room.

Once they were inside, Naruto shuts the door behind them. That only further solidified Tsunade's feeling of dread. Something was going on and she doubted that it was good.

"What on Earth is going on?" She demands again.

"It's Seiko, Granny Tsunade. He used Chidori." Naruto says and the other blonde raises an eyebrow.

"Seiko isn't even a year old. There is no possible way that he could use an attack of that level or any attack other than gumming someone to death at this point." She replies.

"It wasn't Chidori exactly. More like a predecessor to it. Hinata, maybe you should explain. You're the only one who saw him use it." Sasuke says.

Hinata sighs and nods. She wasn't exactly sure how to explain this to Tsunade. She knew that she had to try though. It was for Seiko.

"Kaiz walked over and started provoking me. He picked up Seiko and he didn't like that very much. Suddenly, Kaiz cried out in pain and accused Seiko of electrocuting him. He was surrounded by a blue light that is similar to Sasuke's Chidori. It didn't have the same intensity and it was clearly unrefined. I think it works in manner similar to how the Kazekage's sand operates." She says.

Tsunade blinks. She had never known Hinata to lie or even to exaggerate. If she sincerely thought her son was using a mild form of Chidori, then he probably was.

"I'll run some tests. First, I'll check his chakra pathways" She muses as she proceeds to do so.

Seiko coos at Tsunade. It was the Balloon Lady again. He knew her. It had been awhile since he saw this lady. He giggles when she begins "tickling" him to hook him up to the machine.

"Alright. On the left side of the screen are what we would expect to see in the chakra pathways to be like in a normal infant. On the right, we see Seiko's. His are more advanced than I would think most people would have expected. There doesn't appear to be any damage though. I'll run more tests, just to be on the safe side." Tsunade informs them.

Seiko was decidedly less happy to see Tsunade, two hours later. The medic had performed every test she could think of on the infant. All of them came back normal. Naturally, the youngest Uchiha didn't understand any of this though. He was now bawling to show his displeasure at being poked and prodded so much.

"Well other than his chakra pathways being more advanced than normal, I can't find anything wrong with him. I don't see any damage to the pathways. As of now, I think he's fine. This may just be a one time event. Watch him carefully. If he uses chakra again, bring him to the hospital immediately." Tsunade says.

"It's alright. She's all done with the tests now." Sasuke says as he scoops up the wailing infant.

Seiko sniffles and snuggles into Sasuke's chest. As he does so, he glares at the Balloon Lady. She'd never poked him that much before. What was her problem?

"He's certainly your son. Kid has your glare and everything." Tsunade muses.

"Yeah. I never thought that I'd see the bastard holding a baby." Naruto laughs as he watches the strange sight.

Hinata just shakes her head. She was relieved that it looked like Seiko was going to be okay. She just hoped that Sasuke would endure the gentle ribbing, good-naturedly. Otherwise, the hospital might go boom.

"Whatever loser. Speaking of holding babies, why weren't you? Why didn't you try to help Hinata?" Sasuke snaps at him.

"I know there's no excuse, but I thought maybe she knew where you were and wasn't telling us. I really am sorry, Hinata. Sasuke's right, I should have tried to help you more." Naruto apologizes.

"It's alright. I wasn't really ready to be helped." Hinata mumbles.

Sasuke did not think it was alright. He was still angry with Naruto for "abandoning" his son. He knew why the blonde had done it now, but it was going to take awhile to get over this.

"You are so lucky, Naruto. If anyone else had done that, I never would have forgiven them. I know you are an idiot though. So I have to make certain allowances." Sasuke mutters.

"Hey!" Naruto protests at the label idiot.

"It's true and you know it. You're going to have to make this up to all of us. Naturally, Kurenai is my first choice in babysitter. Your name is now on the backup list of babysitters though." Sasuke informs him smugly as he smiles down at his son.

Naruto gulps. Oh boy. He wasn't so sure how he felt about babysitting a kid that could apparently electrocute you before he could talk.

"Sasuke, you are still a rather vengeful person." Tsunade muses.

"I know. I'm working on it. He had that one coming though." Sasuke mutters as he rocks Seiko in his arms.

Tsunade shakes her head in amusement. She supposed that this was the best that she could have expected really. Sasuke had accepted his son and appeared to be getting along well enough with Hinata. Oh and the village was still in one piece. That was always a lovely bonus.

"Let's go home." Hinata says with a smile.

"Yeah. I want to show you our new house." Sasuke informs and Hinata blinks.

"Did you get us a house or a palace? Remember, you agreed to medium." Hinata says warily.

Tsunade shakes her head. Well the relationship dynamics were going to be interesting to watch to say the least. Clearly, Sasuke was in the mood to spoil his family. Hinata had been born into a wealthy Clan, but she was obviously someone who preferred a simple life. This was either going to be very amusing or tragic.

"It's a house, but a good sized house." Sasuke replies somewhat defensively.

"Oh boy. Bastard, what do you consider a good sized house?" Naruto asks warily.

"It has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a few other rooms. It's close to the Academy as well." The raven haired man answers.

Hinata rubs the back of her head sheepishly. Well that was a little bigger than they really needed, but she supposed she should count her blessings. She had half expected Sasuke to buy them a medium sized estate. This was just a fairly large house.

"Well I'm glad that you kept your promise. I'm sure that it's lovely." Hinata says with a sweet smile.

 _Lovely, like you._ That was the thought that came to Sasuke's mind unbidden. He frowns as he realizes this could get out of control and quickly.

He still had no idea what Hinata actually wanted from him. The Hyuga woman was content to allow him to be Seiko's father and didn't seem to mind his presence. That didn't mean that she wanted more than that though.

"It is. Come on. I'll take you and Seiko there. He can nap in his stroller. He's had a very long day. I can't blame him. If I was poked and prodded like that, I'd be angry too." Sasuke admits as he places his son in the stroller.

"I guess I'll see you guys later. I wanna check out your house, but this seems like more of a family thing." Naruto says.

"Loser, you ARE family. You're still an idiot, but you're still family." Sasuke says and Naruto smiles.

Sasuke was going to forgive him. The bastard was still justifiably angry with him, but he'd eventually get over it. The eldest Uchiha wouldn't say something like that, if he didn't mean it.

"Thanks. It makes me really happy to hear you say that, but still. I think this is more something for you, Hinata, and Seiko to share in private. I'll check it out later. Have fun guys." Naruto says as he heads off.

"That was unexpectedly mature of him." Sasuke points out.

"He's grown a lot since the war." Hinata agrees.

With that being said, the family heads off. It didn't take long for them to reach the house that Sasuke had just bought for them. Hinata blinks.

"It's very pretty." She observes and Sasuke nods in agreement.

"It suits you then. Obviously, it's going to take a couple days to get everything moved here. Once we do though, I think that it will be better than the apartment. It's a nice apartment, but it's too small for all the visitors that we have coming to see us." Sasuke says.

Hinata smiles. It was nice that Sasuke was trying to protect her feelings like that. She knew the truth though. The small apartment was causing Sasuke to go crazy.

He had never been the most social person. When Neji, Hanabi, or Team Eight stopped by, he couldn't really avoid them. The apartment was too small to do that. So he was forced to endure their not so subtle interrogations. Honestly, Hinata was surprised that he hadn't snapped yet.

"You shouldn't lie. You're very bad at it. I know that you didn't really like the apartment, but it was sweet of you to pretend otherwise." She says and kisses his cheek.

Sasuke blinks. Hinata didn't know who was more stunned by the gesture. Him or her. She bite her lower lip nervously.

He had implied that she was pretty. Maybe she had gone too far though. Just because they had fallen into each other's arms to avoid freezing to death, didn't mean he wanted her now.

"I don't really do sweet. You are imagining things, but I'm glad you're happy." Sasuke says.

Seiko watches his parents sleepily. He still didn't really know who the big person was, but he liked him. He gave him lots of toys, cuddles, and protected mommy from the Bad Man.

"Maybe, I am imagining things." Hinata humors him.

"I think I'll head back to the apartment and grab whatever we need to stay the night. Are you going to be okay by yourselves?" Sasuke asks.

Hinata shakes her head in amusement. She couldn't believe that Sasuke had asked that. She was a Jonin. Hinata was fully capable of handling herself and protecting Seiko.

"Yes, I think we can manage on our own for a few minutes." The bluenette says.

"Good. I'll be right back." Sasuke says as he kisses his son's forehead and darts out the door.

Seiko blinks. Where was the Big Person going? He didn't like him leaving. Seiko starts to cry.

"It's alright. He'll be back soon." Hinata reassures him.

She quickly scoops her son up into her arms and rocks him comfortingly. Hinata smiles when she felt Seiko cuddle up to her and begin to calm down. It was sweet. He already missed Sasuke.

"That's a good boy." She whispers.

Meanwhile Sasuke heads back to the apartment. He quickly picks up some clothes, food, diapers, and a few toys for Seiko. The Uchiha frowns as he tries to think of what else they might need.

After a few minutes, the raven haired ninja decides he had everything that was necessary for a sleepover and begins to make his way back to their new house. That's when he saw Hiashi and his eyes narrowed. He had punished the other man for disowning his family, but that didn't mean that Sasuke was ready to move on.

"Sasuke." He mutters and the Uchiha only glares in response as he continues walking off.

Apparently, Hiashi wasn't willing to just leave it at that. He grabs Sasuke by his hand. It wasn't a harsh grip, just enough to get his attention and stop the Uchiha from leaving right away.

"If you want to keep your hand attached to your arm, I suggest you remove it." Sasuke seethes at him.

"I know that you have every reason to be furious with me, but I just want to talk." Hiashi says.

Sasuke grits his teeth. At the moment, he was really regretting that promise he made to Hinata. He shouldn't have promised her that he wouldn't kill Hiashi. Damn it.

"I have nothing to say to you." The Uchiha Patriarch snaps at him.

"I think that we both know that's not true. From your perspective, you must view me as quite the monster. I regret that things had to be this way, but I believe that we can come to an understanding. It would be best, if you would just left Hinata and Seiko to their own devices. Perhaps then I could get her accepted back into the Clan. Such an outcome, would be in Seiko's best interests." Hiashi pleads with him.

Sasuke felt himself twitch. He knew what Hiashi was implying. Seiko was his son. That meant that most of the village would be terrified of him.

It was going to be difficult for the boy to make friends later on. At worst, there would be more people like Kaiz who would pick a fight with him and Hinata because Sasuke was his father. Being his son was dangerous.

"Seiko is an Uchiha. It wouldn't matter. If I were to ignore him, he is still my son. The fact that he is an Uchiha is enough to ensure that he is going to have difficulties. I'm not going to abandon him. I'm not you. I won't abandon my child." Sasuke hisses at him.

That hurt. Hiashi wanted to defend himself, but he knew that it was useless. What Sasuke said was accurate. He had abandoned Hinata.

In some ways, it didn't matter what his reasons were. He had done what needed to be done to protect his Clan as a whole, but Hiashi had done so at the expense of his daughter and grandson. It was a painful decision, but one that he would have to live with.

"That's true to a certain extent. His life would still be easier without you in it. I know that you want to do the right thing and that is commendable, but what you are doing isn't the right thing. I know it's painful. That doesn't change the situation. His best chance at a normal life would be one without you in it." Hiashi syas.

"I told Hinata that I wouldn't kill you. I'm not going to go back on my promise to her, but I suggest that you stop talking or I will do something far worse than just marking up your forehead. Maybe I'll cut your tongue out. That way I won't have to listen to you anymore." Sasuke threatens him.

Hiashi sighs. In any other circumstance, he was be happy that his daughter's lover was defending his family so viciously. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case today.

"Very well. I have said my peace. I do hope you will think about what I have said. I know that you love Seiko. You might even have deluded yourself into thinking that you love Hinata, but you will do as I say. If you truly care about them, you'll do what needs to be done." Hiashi says as he teleports off before Sasuke could strike him.

Sasuke slams his fist into a nearby tree. Damn him. Damn Hiashi! Everything was going so well until he reminded Sasuke of one very painful fact. Seiko would always be in danger because of what his last name was.

No matter what Sasuke did, Seiko was still an Uchiha. Even if someone wasn't motivated by revenge against him, Seiko's eyes were worth a fortune. People motivated by profit might try to kidnap him. It had always been an issue with Hyuga and Uchiha children. Kidnapping.

"I need to calm down before I go back to them." He mutters as he teleports to the Training Grounds and takes his fury out on some posts.

He couldn't let his son or Hinata seem him like this. They'd be frightened of him and right now, he couldn't blame them. Sasuke had felt rage before. It was a familiar emotion to him, but even he was shocked at the intensity of his fury.

"Damn him." He mutters again as he shatters the post.

Back in the new house, Hinata forms a clone to watch Seiko and decides to take a shower. Sasuke seemed to be taking a bit longer than she would have expected. That was alright though. He was probably just deciding what they needed and maybe putting stuff into boxes for the actual move.

"That's better." She mumbles as the hot water soothes her sore muscles.

She had learned a valuable lesson about training with Sasuke. When he told you that you were going to be sore afterwards, he wasn't kidding. If nothing else, she knew that he was a mostly honest person.

Idly, it amused her that he was capable of telling white lies though. White lies to spare her feelings. Her mind flashed back to him calling her apartment nice as an example.

"Well it's not as though I had much of a choice." She mutters.

Once her family disowned her, she lost her inheritance. The only money she had was that she had saved up from missions. It was enough to afford a modest apartment and get by. It had been tight, but they managed.

Now that Sasuke was back though, apparently they weren't going to be just getting by anymore. She knew that he felt guilty about not being there for Seiko's birth. Naturally, his way of trying to "apologize" seemed to be overcompensating with gifts.

"If it had been anyone else, I would have accused them of trying to buy our affection." She muses.

She knew that wasn't the case with Sasuke though. The Uchiha Clan wasn't as fond of flaunting their wealth as the Hyuga Clan. Most Uchihas were comfortable, but not filthy rich.

Sasuke was the last one though. That meant that legally, the assets of all his fallen kin belonged to him. While individually, almost none of them had been super wealthy, collectively it added up and fast.

She did feel a little guilty about having him buy a house for them, but Hinata couldn't lie. It was would be nice to have more room. That was going to be especially true, once Seiko reached his Terrible Twos.

Unbeknownst to Hinata, Sasuke had finally calmed down after destroying every last training post in his field of vision. The eldest Uchiha decides to head back to their house. Once he arrived, Sasuke figured that he should take a shower.

"Now where were the damn bathrooms again?" He mutters to himself as he looks around.

Soon enough, he finds one of them. Sasuke didn't have the Byakugan. He couldn't see through walls like Hinata could. If he could, he wouldn't have done what he did next. He wouldn't have walked into the bathroom and gotten an eyeful.

 **Warning Shower Scene**

Well maybe an eyeful was exaggerating a bit. The curtain was still drawn. Still Sasuke had a very good imagination and he had seen Hinata naked before. The outline of her voluptuous curves was more than enough to bring back memories of their time together.

That's when he saw Hinata tense. Clearly, she realized that she wasn't alone. Damn it. This looked bad. Very bad. It wasn't like he was trying to spy on her.

"Sorry. I should have knocked first." Sasuke mutters a hasty apology.

"Sasuke?" Hinata asks uncertainly, though he could see that her posture was starting to relax once she knew it was him.

Of course, it was Sasuke. She would recognize his voice anywhere by now. Hinata just couldn't believe that he had caught her in the shower. Thankfully, at least the curtain was drawn. Otherwise, she would have died of embarrassment.

"Yeah. It's me. I'm sorry. I guess I'm still used to living alone and not having to knock." Sasuke says as he turns to go.

"It's okay. I m-ean the shower curtain is pulled and you al-ready know what I look like anyway." She mumbles.

Yeah. He definitely knew what she looked like. Sasuke still needed that shower. Only this time, he suspected that he was going to need an ice cold shower instead of a hot one.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed though. You're right. I do know what you look like. You look beautiful." He tells her.

Mentally, he slaps himself for saying that. Damn it. He shouldn't have said that. Then again, He had implied that she was pretty earlier and Hinata hadn't protested. Maybe it was alright to call her beautiful as well.

"You really think so?" Hinata asks shyly as she peeks just her head out from behind the curtain.

"I know so." Sasuke replies automatically, without thinking about it.

He had no idea how someone who looked like her, could have be so embarrassed about their body. That was just part of who she was though. Innocent and sweet. Well most of the time.

"Th-at's very nice of you to say. So are you." Hinata mumbles.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow in amusement. He couldn't believe that she had just called him beautiful. Normally, he would have protested the rather feminine adjective. With Hinata though, he'd take what he could get.

"You're welcome and thank you. I mean it though. You are." Sasuke tells her.

Hinata smiles. There was a certain sincerity in his voice. She bites her lower lip as she debates about what she should do next.

It wasn't like before. They had an excuse. The cold. People would do almost anything to survive. Now things were different. The two of them were definitely not in danger of freezing to death.

"Would you like to join m-e?" She whispers so quietly that he almost didn't hear her.

Sasuke blinks. Had she really said that or had he imagined it? Did Hinata really ask if he wanted to join her?

"I didn't realize joining was an option." He says.

"It is. For you. I mean, if you w-ant it to be." She replies.

Sasuke Uchiha was many things. Stupid wasn't one of them. It would be very stupid to turn down such a generous offer. So he wasn't going to.

"I want it to be." Sasuke informs her and soon Hinata heard the sound of clothes hitting the floor and she blushes deeply.

She didn't know why she was surprised. Of course, he wasn't going to shower with his clothes on. That would be silly.

Despite that logicalness of his action, she still kept her eyes firmly on the wall in front of her. She didn't know how far he was really willing to go and it seemed different. It was one thing to look and even touch when they had an excuse. This was different though. This was by choice, not necessity.

"Good. I didn't know, if you wanted to be more than friends." She whispers, once he was inside the shower.

"Well I'm not really sure if it's a good idea. I don't want to hurt you, but I don't want to lie either. I missed this." Sasuke says as he wraps his arms around her waist and Hinata realizes just how much he missed "this."

She blushes even more when she felt his other sword against her. His mind might have a few reservations, but his sword was definitely prepared to do battle. She didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed when he starts tenderly lathering her with soap instead.

"You won't hurt me, but I don't know what you mean by this." Hinata dares herself to say.

"Everything. The way you look. How warm you are. How soft you are and how well we fit together." Sasuke says as he places a light kiss to her shoulder.

"Ohhh. I missed that too, except for the soft part. You're more hard than soft." Hinata stammers.

"You're also adorable when you babble. Though I have to admit, no one babbles as accurately as you do." Sasuke says.

Hinata could feel him smirking against her shoulder as he kissed her there once more. She wasn't entirely certain how she knew that he was smirking. Hinata just knew that he was.

"I'm not babbling, but you really want to be more than just friends?" She asks.

Sasuke blinks. Only Hinata could ask that, when they were naked in a shower. He had no idea how her body could completely seduce him so easily and she could still ask such an innocent question at the same time.

"Yes, Hinata. I want to be more than friends." Sasuke tells her.


	8. Chapter 8

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I know that everyone wants to kill Hiashi at this point, but it's hard to have a good story without a "villain." Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** This isn't part of cannon to my knowledge, but I have used this concept in a lot of my stories. I made up a new way that the Sharingan can be unconsciously activated.

Chapter 8

 _"Yes, Hinata. I want to be more than friends."_ Sasuke said.

Hinata felt her heart begin to race even faster at those words. Instinctively, she knew that there was no going back. For better or for worse, he had said it. She had said it. They both still wanted each other.

"Good. I want that too." She whispers as she turns around to face him.

Sasuke smiles and cups her face in his hands before gently kissing her. Before Seiko and Hinata, he was rarely happy. It was still something of a foreign sensation. He couldn't lie though. Hearing her say that, definitely made him happy.

Hinata shyly returns the kiss. It still amazed her that he was actually capable of being this gentle. It was at odds with the image that he presented to the rest of the world. Her mind drifted back to the First Blood Incident.

"Yeah. I definitely missed this." Sasuek whispers after breaking the kiss and he continues lathering her with soap.

"Mmm me too." She sighs in contentment.

Hinata wasn't really sure why it felt better when Sasuke did it. There was something very soothing and erotic about the way he'd wash her at the same time. It likely had something to do with mismatched set of eyes looking at her with such intensity. One was ruby red and the other was a hypnotic shade of lavender.

Wait. Ruby red? The Sharingan? As far as she could tell, Sasuke either couldn't or wouldn't deactivate his Rinnegan. The same wasn't true for his Sharingan though. Before he had received the Rinnegan during the war, his eyes were also red when they were together.

"Sasuke, your Sharingan is on." She muses.

"Don't worry about it. That just happens sometimes." He tells her as he continues washing her.

Her lover was acting as though he was slightly embarrassed by the situation. That's when it dawned on Hinata. He hadn't done that on purpose.

"Your Sharingan activates when you get excited?" She asks.

Sasuke pauses for a moment and places a few soft kisses down the pale column of her throat. He knew that Hinata was sensitive there and delighted in the quiet mews that the action elicited. Feeling as though he had reestablished control of the situation to a certain extent, he decides to answer her.

"Yes, it does. It's more common associated with fear or anger, but other strong emotions can activate it was well. It's not really something that my family likes to advertise though." He says.

"Oh. Well that's interesting. I won't tell anyone." She promises.

"Good." Sasuke says with a smile as he wraps one hand around her waist and he goes back to kissing her neck.

 **Warning Lime**

Hinata moans quietly and arches into his kisses. That felt nice. It was also nice to know that she affected him that much. He literally couldn't control himself. Well part of himself anyway.

"I like it when you moan for me." Sasuke informs her with a seductive purr to his voice and Hinata shivers.

"I like it when you touch me." She confesses and her creamy white skin was suddenly tinged with a rosy blush.

There really was no seduction in those words. It was the honesty of them that sent a jolt of white hot lust racing through his veins though. It was suddenly very tempting just to pin her to the wall and take her, hard and fast.

He knew better than that though. Hinata was still practically an innocent. Sasuke didn't want to scare her off by acting like an animal. For now, he'd have to go slow.

"Good. Like I said, he's very lucky." Sasuke muses as he caresses her breasts.

Hinata gasps and moans. His hands were large and warm, with a hint of roughness. The bluenette was sure that his hands were slightly calloused from wielding lightning so many times. She didn't mind though.

The young woman reveled in the wonderfully wicked contrast of the gentle touch and the rough skin. Her mind was rapidly shutting down and barely coherent. Mostly it was reduced to feelings. Right now, _**GOOD**_ was the most prominent one.

"Mhm." She murmurs, knowing that she should say something but too tongue-tied to give a more coherent answer.

Sasuke smirks as he caresses her firm backside and breasts more. Hinata appeared to be delightfully sensitive. He loved hearing the little sounds of pleasure that she would make and how she'd arch right into his touch.

He lightly flicks a nipple with his tongue as he continues the gentle massage. Sasuke smirks when he hears her moan at the action, but was soon groaning when Hinata suddenly got more bold. She took him into her hand.

"I s-ee the sword training had an unexpected be-nefits." He pants into her ear as he bucks into her touch.

"Maybe a little. That feels good." She whispers as she leans into him and continues stroking.

Sasuke had experimented with masturbation before. Everyone had. He hadn't indulged in it often, preferring to focus on more important goals. The Uchiha knew one thing though, Hinata was A LOT better at playing with his sword than he was.

"Yeah. It does. So was that why my kitten was blushing so much earlier? Did you think that I meant this one?" He asks smugly as he lightly bites on her neck and sucks on it teasingly.

"I j-ust misinterpreted what you w-ere saying." She admits and Sasuke lightly squeezes her backside in approval.

"You are free to misinterpret things as often as you like then." Sasuke informs her and his hand slides between her thighs to emphasize his point.

Hinata felt her face burn hotly at being touched there. She hadn't been touched that intimately in over a year. Despite the amount of time that passed, Sasuke apparently hadn't forgotten exactly where and how to touch her.

"O-kay." She mumbles as she kisses his neck and strokes him faster.

Sasuke groans and he cups her womanhood. They were in the shower, but he suspected that wasn't the only reason why she was wet. She was still as silky and warm down there as he remembered though. He shivers as he remembered how hot and wet she had been for him last time and felt himself throb inside her hand. It felt painfully good.

She moans and rocks into his touch. Any other time, Hinata would have been embarrassed by her wanton behavior. It felt too good to care much at the moment though. That and the fact that she could feel that Sasuke wanted her just as much as she wanted him, probably had something to do with how easily her modesty was being temporarily discarded.

"Hinata, go stand against the wall. With your back towards me." Sasuke tells her.

Hinata bites back a whimper when he stopped touching her. His words vaguely registered in her head. When they finally did, she quickly heads towards the wall.

"Such a good kitten." Sasuke murmurs in approval as he gets behind her.

The bluenette felt herself shiver when he slowly glides his hands over her shoulders, back, waist, and finally parted her legs. He also pulled her hair away from the back of her neck and placed a few kisses there and upon her shoulders, before teasing her clit with his thumb. Hinata moans at the wonderful sensation.

"Just relax. I remember that you liked this a lot last time." Sasuke says smugly as he soon buries his face between her thighs and begins lapping at her like a cat might cream.

"Nhh!" She cries out and Hinata was suddenly grateful for the wall.

If she didn't have anything to lean into, she probably would have fallen over in shock. She squirms as she moans. Sasuke's tongue should be classified as some kind of miracle or weapon.

Sasuke smirks. She was still as sensitive as he remembered her being. He felt his arousal only grow at that thought.

"You still taste so sweet." He murmurs approvingly.

He lavishes her with his warm, rough tongue everywhere that he could reach. While he was teasing her to the brink of insanity with his mouth, he rubbed her clit. Sasuke was gratified to hear her moan louder.

She was normally such a quiet kitten. Well unless you had her on the brink of an orgasm. Then she got much louder. Sasuke liked when that happened, he liked a lot actually.

"S-asuke!" She moans and writhes against the wall.

It was a beautiful sight. The rosy hue to her creamy skin. The way her midnight blue hair was cascading down her back. Those lovely long legs that he had spent many a night thinking about. The seductive curve of her ass and of course, the way her breasts pressed against the wall.

It didn't take long for Hinata to spiral over the edge. Sasuke couldn't help but feel a little smug as he watched her orgasm take hold of her. Now that was a gorgeous sight.

"I'd say that definitely makes us more than friends." He says smugly.

Hinata pants as she tries to will her heart to slow down. God, that was incredible. How did he do that?!

"M-y turn." She manages to say before turning around.

"Your turn for what?" Sasuke asks in confusion.

"Well you made me feel good. So it's only fair that I do the same for you." She says shyly.

Sasuke blinks. Was she really offering that? He never would have expected that from her. She'd always been so _innocent_.

"You don't have to. You don't have to feel obligated, just because I did it." Sasuke says.

"I know. I want to though." She says as she turns around and kisses him.

Sasuke returns the kiss. He was surprised by this gesture. He would have thought Hinata would be more shy after well everything that he had just done. Apparently, that was not the case though.

"In that case, I'd be an idiot to say no to that offer." Sasuke says, after breaking the kiss.

She slowly sinks to her knees. She wasn't exactly sure how she was going to go about this. Hinata had never done this before and Sasuke was large by anyone's standards.

She bites her lower lip and then decides just to start small. So she takes a cautious lick. Sasuke groans and immediately bucks against her lightly.

She smiles and takes that as a good sign. She takes the tip into her mouth and Sasuke's lightly. Sasuke's moans and starts running his fingers through her hair.

"Th-at feels so fucking good." He groans.

It was truly a test of his willpower not to just thrust into her wonderfully, hot mouth. She was just shyly sucking on the tip and he was already half ready to spill his release.

Hinata felt emboldened by the praise and sucks harder and faster. She gradually takes more of him into her mouth. Every time she did so, Sasuke moaned louder.

Sasuke was getting closer and closer to the edge. The feeling of her hot mouth wrapped around his cock and the sight of her was just overwhelming. God, that felt good.

"Fuck!" He hisses in pleasure when she starts deepthroating him and lightly grazes her teeth against the sensitive flesh.

He knew that she wasn't actually going to bite him. The hint of danger though was hot. Maybe she wasn't that shy after all.

"Hinata, stop! Stop!" He says and Hinata releases him from her mouth with a loud pop.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asks in confusion.

Sasuke shakes his head. He had no idea how she could possibly think that she had done anything wrong. It was Hinata though. Apparently, confidence had always been an issue with her.

"No, you did everything very right. Trust me, you did EVERYTHING right." He says as he places her hand back on his arousal.

That's when Hinata understood why he wanted her to stop. Ohhh. He was close. Very close, apparently.

"That was sweet of you, but I don't mind." She tells him as she takes him back into her hand and begins stroking again.

"G-ood to know!" Sasuke groans.

It only took a few more strokes. Hinata watches as he came and he came hard. Sasuke didn't moan when he came. He roared.

 **End of Lime**

"I guess it's a good thing that we are in the shower. It would have been messy otherwise." Hinata notes with a giggle.

"Sassy kitten." Sasuke says between pants as he kisses the top of her head and rinses them off.

It didn't take long for them to get out of the shower, dry off, and dress. Once they were suitably presentable, they headed back to the living room. Thankfully, the clone was still watching Seiko.

"Thank you." Hinata says to her clone and the clone nods before disappearing in a large puff of smoke.

"Naruto might be onto something with this clone thing. They can be really useful." Sasuke muses.

Speaking of clones, hmm. He wondered if Hinata might be into that. He'd have to ask her later. It was a popular kink at the Sound Village. Maybe she'd like it.

"Yes, they are." Hinata agrees as she smiles and scoops up Seiko.

Seiko coos and cuddles into his mother. Sasuke smiles and wraps his arms around Hinata's waist as she holds their son. Winter was rapidly becoming his favorite season. If it wasn't for that snowstorm, he wouldn't have any of this.

The next day, Kakashi sighs. He was currently dealing with more than a few Hyugas. Most of them were Main House Members and quite a few were elders. It didn't matter what their station or age was though. They all head one thing on their mind. Seiko.

"Hiashi disowned Hinata and Seiko from the Hyuga Clan. None of you have any authority over him or her. If you were truly that concerned over what Seiko might be capable of as an adult, you should have protested the exile. It's now completely out of your hands. Hinata and Seiko fall completely under my authority." The silver haired ninja informs them.

It was rather obvious that none of them were too pleased with that response. Fortunately, they were Hyugas. They had a deep respect for authority figures and there were few authority figures more powerful in their mind than the Hokage.

"Lord Hokage, I must disagree. That boy may not be part of our Clan in name anymore, but he still has Hyuga blood running through his veins. Are you not concerned about what he will become?" An elderly Hyuga woman named Mitszu demands.

"Oh I have my concerns. I'm just not willing to condemn a boy before he's even said his first word. Hinata is his mother. She'll teach him right for wrong. It also appears that Sasuke has decided to be a part of Seiko's life. He'll teach him how to use the Sharingan, if the boy manifests it." The Copycat Ninja assures them.

Hiashi sighs. He had tried speaking with Sasuke. It didn't look like the other ninja was going to change his mind. He seemed insistent on being in his child's life. Normally, that was an admirable quality.

Unfortunately, this was Sasuke Uchiha. He would likely end up doing far more harm than good. Perhaps he had made the wrong choice in disowning her. If he had known that Sasuke was going to come back and try to claim his son, he wouldn't have done so.

"You seem disturbingly calm about this entire situation." Hiashi observes.

"Panicking over what may be, does no good. If something seems to be amiss, I will take the necessary actions to deal with whatever unpleasant situations may arise. I would much prefer it, if you would all cease to question my judgment and leave. I have important matters to attend to." Kakashi says.

"Yes, Lord Hokage." They all say in unison as they depart.

They all knew there limits. When a Kage dismissed you, it was best to leave. Bad things tended to happen to those ninjas that overstayed their welcome in Kage Offices.

"Are you alright, Kakashi?" Shizune asks as she peeks her head into his office.

The bruenette had overheard the entire confrontation. She wanted to make sure that Kakashi was alright. He was a good man and a good Hokage. Though she had to admit that he was a bit lax in his duties. The man seemed to prefer writing his first novel over performing the more mundane aspects of his job like paperwork.

"Yes, I'll be fine. It's amazing how much trouble can be caused by such a small boy." He muses.

"I know. It's not his fault that his parents were a rather unexpected match though." She chides him gently.

"Oh yes. I'm well aware of that fact. Still I think that this will be good for Sasuke in the long run. He needs to learn how to establish bonds with someone who isn't Naruto. There are few bonds more powerful than the one that exists between father and son." He muses as he continues his writing.

Shizune shakes her head in amusement. Kakashi was Kakashi she supposed. Nothing would phase him for too long.

"Oh it looks like Kurenai is here with her latest mission report. I'll see you later, Lord Hokage." Shizune says as she slips out of the room and allows Kurenai to enter.

"The mission was a success. We successfully escorted the Noble to his new village." She saysa.

"Ah that's excellent news." Kakashi says as he takes the report that Kurenai had written up for him.

Kurenai nods. She frowns and bites her lower lip as she debates about whether she should say something. Kakashi was Hokage. There was a chance that he might be able to do something about Seiko's Situation.

"I know that I probably shouldn't have, but I spoke to Hiashi." She whispers.

Kakashi sighs. He should have seen that coming. After all, Kurenai was Hinata's Sensei. It was only natural that she would feel obligated to intercede upon her behalf.

"I'm going to assume that you weren't just discussing the weather with him?" He asks dryly.

"You're right. I wasn't. I know that I should have asked you first, but I had to try. Kakashi, Seiko is his grandson. Hinata is his daughter. Surely, that should mean more to him than the fact she had a child outside of marriage." The Genjutsu Mitress reasons.

The Hokage shakes his head. That wasn't the real reason for Hiashi's displeasure. While having a child out of wedlock would have displeased Hiashi, that wasn't the real reason he had disowned her.

"I believe Hiashi would have been able to overlook that aspect of Seiko's heritage. Hiashi disowned them because he was Sasuke's son. Had Hinata had a child by say Kiba or Shino, I think he would have been willing to overlook the fact that Seiko's parents weren't married when he was conceived." The CopyCat Ninja says.

"I suppose that's true. I just feel awful about this entire situation. There must be something that we can do." Kurenai pleads.

"At the moment, I think that the best thing that we can do is to let things play out. Sasuke and Hiashi are both very headstrong men. Their tempers will need some time to cool before they could even think about a reconciliation." Kakashi tells her and Kurenai nods in agreement.

Maybe Kakashi was right. Perhaps time would be the best solution. Once Hiashi saw his grandson walking around the village, he might begin to feel guilty. He desire for a connection to his grandson might outweigh his distasteful for Seiko's father. Only time would tell.

Back at the new Uchiha Home, Sasuke was carrying Seiko's toy chest inside. Seiko was watching his father do so from his playpen. He giggles and coos when he sees that chest.

Seiko knew what was inside it. His toys. He had lots of toys now. He loved playing with his toys.

"It's heavier than I expected." Sasuke mutters as he places the chest inside the playpen and opens it.

"Well I believe that is because someone decided to buy out half the toy store." Hinata notes with a giggle of her own.

Alright. Maybe I went a little overboard on the toys, but he likes them." Sasuke replies defensively as Seiko grabs onto his favorite teddy bear and cuddles it.

"Yes, I can see that. It's alright. I think it's sweet really." Hinata tells Sasuke and kisses his cheek.

"Good. Besides, he deserves to be spoiled after everything he's been through. His bastard of a grandfather disowned him from your Clan. The least I can do is make sure that he knows this side of his family loves him." Sasuke mutters.

He knew that it shouldn't really matter. It still stung his pride though. Essentially that disownment was saying that the Hyuga Clan viewed his as inferior or too dangerous to mix with.

"Sasuke, it doesn't matter. I have hopes that eventually my father will come around, but if he doesn't that's okay. We have each other. That's all that really matters." Hinata says as she wraps her arms around him.

Sasuke smiles and wraps his arms around her waist. Last night had been a really big breakthrough for them. They hadn't actually made love, but he was never going to look at showers the same way again. They were together now and not just because of their son.

"I know. I still can't believe that bastard had the nerve to corner me like that while I was heading back here." Sasuke mutters in disgust.

Hinata tilts her head to the side in confusion. She had no idea what Sasuke was talking about. He hadn't mentioned seeing Hiashi after the First Blood Incident.

"Sasuke, what happened?" She asks.

"I was on my way back here. I was carrying the stuff that we needed for an overnight stay. Hiashi saw me and he tried to talk to me." The Uchiha continues on.

The young mother couldn't suppress the feeling of dread that was now growing in her stomach. Her father had tried to talk to Sasuke alone. That couldn't possibly have ended well.

"What did he say?" She inquires cautiously.

"Essentially, I should stay away from you and Seiko. It would be for your own good. He pleaded for me to abandon the two of you. Hiashi said that if I stayed out of our son's life, he might take the two of you back into the Hyuga Clan." Sasuke tells her.

"HE WHAT?!" Hinata shouts in disbelief.

That got Seiko's attention. He stares at the big person and mommy in surprise. He had never heard mommy be so loud before! Something was going on. Something important!

"Hiashi said that he might take you and Seiko back, if I stayed out of our son's life. That's why it took me so long to get back. I went to the Training Grounds to cool off. I couldn't come back when I was that angry." Sasuke says with a shrug.

"I'm going to speak with my father right now." She says.

"Hinata, what are you talking about? You just said that all that matters is that the three of us are together. It doesn't matter that your father is a bastard." Sasuke says.

Hinata felt an unfamiliar emotion coursing through her veins. It was fury. She couldn't believe that her own father had tried to do that. He had tried to separate his grandson from his father. It was wrong.

"It is. I'm fine with him disowning me. What I'm not fine with is him trying to keep you away from Seiko." She mutters.

"I feel the same way, but you don't need to subject yourself to that idiot." Sasuke tells her.

"Yes, I do. It's wrong. He can't just try to break out family apart like that." She exclaims.

Sasuke sighs and kisses Hinata's forehead. It was going to take more than Hiashi Hyuga to tear him away from Hinata and Seiko at this point. He loved his son and well he wanted to be with Hinata. Badly.

"He's not going to tear our family apart. I promise you that isn't going to happen." The raven haired ninja assures her.

"You're right. It's not. I'm going to talk to him right now." Hinata says as she teleports off.

"Seiko, it looks like we are going to visit your grandfather. He's a very mean man, but we can't let your mother kill him. She'd feel very guilty, if she did." Sasuke says with a sigh as he scoops up his son and teleports off after his lover. (He had a feeling that this wouldn't end well.)


	9. Chapter 9

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 9

Hinata couldn't believe this. It was one thing for her father to disown them, but he had no right to interfere in their lives afterwards. As much as she loved her father, she was a grown woman now. He had no right to try to control her or her family.

It was scary. Hinata had never been a violent or angry person. She had never really felt the need to get revenge on anyone. It was an overwhelming emotion. It felt like fire was coursing through her veins and there was only one way to make it stop. She had to confront her father.

"I want to see Lord Hiashi." The bluenette says once she arrives at the Hyuga Estate.

Thankfully, it was Neji that she happened to run into first. Neji was her friend. None of this was his fault. He wouldn't be a casualty of her anger. Hinata wasn't sure if that would have been the case for someone else though.

"Hinata, what are you doing here?" Neji asks in surprise.

After the disownment, she had only returned to the Hyuga Estate once. That had been with Sasuke and for First Blood. Neji was truly at a loss for why she would return to the Estate now.

"I need to speak with my father. He tried to encourage Sasuke to abandon Seiko. He has no right to try to do that. Lord Hiashi disowned us. He has forfeited all rights to such things." She says.

Neji blinks. He had never seen Hinata truly angry before. Even after Hiashi had exiled her from the Clan, she had been more brokenhearted than angry. Quite frankly, the prodigy didn't know how to react to this new side of his cousin.

"Hinata, are you sure that's a good idea? Perhaps it would be best to wait a few days. Give yourself time to calm down. You don't want to do or say anything that you might regret." The lavender eyed man pleads with her.

"Neji, I need to do this. Please take me to him or I will find him myself." Hinata tells her cousin.

The other Hyuga bites his lower lip in concern. He couldn't foresee anyway that this would possibly end well. A reconciliation was currently highly unlikely, but it would be impossible after whatever Hinata had in mind.

"Neji, it's alright. I'm here. Would you kindly hold Seiko while I make sure that the Estate is still standing by the end of their _discussion_?" Sasuke asks as he appears in a swirl of flames with Seiko in his arms.

The other Hyuga sighs as he takes Seiko into his arms. If anyone was going to be able to calm Hinata down, it was probably going to be Sasuke. Someone needed to make sure that Seiko didn't get caught in the crossfire. Apparently, that someone was him.

"Alright. I still don't think this is a good idea, but I'll watch him." Neji promises him.

"Thank you." Sasuke says with a smile.

Hinata eyes Sasuke warily. She wasn't entirely sure what her lover was going to do about the situation. It didn't look like he was going to try to talk her out of it, but with Sasuke it was difficult to tell.

"Sasuke, I'm not changing my mind." She says firmly.

"I know you aren't. I'm just here to minimize the damage. I don't like your father, Hinata. I won't lie about that, but I know you. You are going to feel guilty, if you take things too far. So I'm not going to allow that to happen." The raven haired

Hinata sighs. She knew that he was just trying to help, but she really wished that he hadn't brought Seiko with him. He didn't need to see this.

"Alright. Neji?" She asks, once more.

"Very well. I can see that you've made your decision. I'll take you too him." Neji says with a defeated sigh as he leads them further into the Estate.

It didn't take them long to come upon Hiashi's Study. Neji knocks on it and a moment later, the Hyuga Patriarch answers the door and blinks when he saw the group. Hiashi was a bright man and clearly it didn't take him long to figure out what was going on.

"Come inside." He states simply as he moves out of the doorway and allows them each to enter.

"Sasuke, says that you encouraged him to abandon Seiko. I want to know if that is true." Hinata demands.

Hiashi glances at Hinata. There was a certain fire in her eye, that he hadn't seen before. She was furious. Sadly, it looked like Sasuke was already rubbing off on her.

"The Uchiha is many things. To his credit though, I can not honestly say that a liar is one of them. Yes, I did speak with him and encourage him to do so. It is for the good of you and your child. If he isn't in your life, there is a chance that I could have the decision reversed. The elders wouldn't like it, but I am the Clan Head." He says as if it was obvious.

SMACK! Hinata couldn't take it anymore. Now that Hiahsi had confirmed what he had done, she just lost control.

Hiashi gapes at Hinata as he nurses his now badly swelling cheek. He couldn't believe it. His own daughter had hit him.

"Hinata!" He gasps in shock.

Idly, he notes that Sasuke and Neji looked just as shocked as he did. None of them had actually expected Hinata to strike him. It looked as though even Seiko was stunned by the act.

"I love you, father. I really do, but you had no right to do that. You decided that you didn't want us in your life. You don't get to decide the fate of our family, after you banished us." Hinata snaps at him.

Hinata couldn't believe that she had hit her father. She was almost positive that she was even more shocked than he was. That didn't change the fact that he deserved it.

What scared her is that she wanted to do it more. Part of her would have been quite happy to see Sasuke throw a Chidori or two in his direction. She wasn't entirely certain that she would ever be able to forgive Hiashi Hyuga really.

"I know that legally I don't any grounds to determine the fate of your family, Hinata. I am your father though. Despite what it may feel like, I do care about you. I only want what is best for you and that is NOT him. You don't belong with some demon. You belong with your family. A family who loves you." He says.

"You're right. You don't have any legal ground to decide what she does with her life. Nor do you have any moral ground to stand on." Sasuke hisses at him.

Hiashi felt himself twitch. Sasuke didn't have a right to pass judgment on him. It was easy to do so when you didn't have an entire Clan to think of. He had to protect his entire family, not just his daughters and grandson. The needs of the many, outweighed those of a few.

"Uchiha, quiet. This is a discussion between my daughter and I. I would appreciate it, if you stayed out of it." He says firmly.

"He has every right to speak. He is the father of my child. He's the father of your grandchild. Whether or not you choose to acknowledge that fact, doesn't matter. Everything that we say, impacts him. Sasuke doesn't have to be silent because it makes you feel more comfortable!" Hinata half yells at him.

Neji blinks. He couldn't believe that woman was actually Hinata. His shy and sweet cousin had completely disappeared. Well he supposed every woman would react that way. After all, her child had been "threatened."

Hiashi had been trying to scare Seiko's father away. That was probably a threat in Hinata's mind. While Neji still wasn't exactly certain how he felt about Sasuke, he couldn't deny that it was obvious he did love Seiko. It was wrong of Hiashi to try to split the small family apart. Obviously, Hinata shared that opinion.

"You're right. I suppose that wasn't fair, but I know that you know that I'm right. Do you really think that you can trust him with a small child? Perhaps he does care for his son in his own way, but Sasuke's mind isn't stable. He abandoned the Leaf once. What makes you think that he won't do it a second time?" Hiashi tries to reason with her.

Sasuke glares at Hiashi. He was damn lucky that Seiko was still in the same room as him. Otherwise, he probably would have unleashed Amatersau on him. The bastard deserved no less.

"I came back of my own free will. That should tell you something. I would never abandon my family. Who are you to lecture me on fatherhood? You're the one who abandoned Hinata and your grandson, not me!" Sasuke practically snarls at him.

"You have been alone for a long time. I suppose that it's only natural that you forgot how Clans work. Clans exist for the greater good of the entire family. The personal feelings of individual members are of course important, but the good of the Clan as a whole is far more important. One day, you might understand that." Hiashi thunders back at him.

"You're a good Clan Head. I can't deny that, father. I just wish that you would express your love as a father and a grandfather as much as you do for the Clan as whole. Perhaps one day that will change. In the meantime, I don't want you near any of us. If you ever try this again, I won't be responsible for my actions. Don't make me raise my hand against you again. I don't want to, but I will. I will for my son." Hinata tells him.

Hiashi blinks. He scarcely recognized the woman standing in front of him. Hinata had never actually threatened him before. What was even more troubling is that he knew she meant it.

"I believe you have made your feelings rather clear on the matter." He says as he nurses his cheek.

"Good. I am sorry that it came to this. If you come to our home, I will inform the Hokage. I will tell him that you are trespassing." She warns him.

"Or I could just summon Aoda and turn him into snake food." Sasuke says.

"SASUKE!" Hinata calls out in shock and Sasuke just shrugs.

He thought it was a perfectly reasonable suggestion really. Clearly, Hiashi was never going to change. Well at least that was how Sasuke saw the situation. He might as well have some fun.

"On second thought, you're probably right. That would be cruel. I wouldn't want Aoda to get food poisoning and I'm sure that your father tastes horrible. That or he tastes like chicken. I can't decide which." Sasuke muses.

"Sasuke!" Hinata growls warningly at him.

"Alright. Alright. Yes, we'll alert Kakashi, if you trespass." He mutters and Seiko giggles.

Sasuke smiles at his son. He was truly adorable. It was almost like the infant actually understood them. Maybe he did. Sasuke really didn't know much about the psychology of infants. He was fairly well versed in when various physical milestones would hit though. He knew when they usually started talking and walking for instance, but he didn't know when they started to understand what people were saying to them.

"Do you see that? He just threatened to feed a man to a snake. Is that really the kind of person that you want to be involved in Seiko's life?" Hiashi asks.

"Sasuke at least wants to be involved. That's more than I can say for you at the moment. He was joking. I think." Hinata says.

"You THINK that he was joking about feeding another man to a snake?! That's not particularly comforting!" The Hyuga Patriarch exclaims.

It was hard to tell sometimes. Hinata still didn't know what went on in Sasuke's head half the time, but she was fairly positive that it had been his version of a joke. A sadistic joke, but a joke nonetheless.

"This isn't about whether or not you are comfortable with him. It's about what's best for Seiko. I'm his mother. I'm the one who gets to decide that. Father, please don't do it again. I don't want this to spiral into a Clan War." She warns him.

"I know that you don't want this to become a Clan War. There are only two Uchihas by blood and three, if you count yourself. The Hyuga Clan has hundreds of members. It would not end well for you, if a war were to be started." Hiashi retorts.

"It's not about quantity, it's about quality. I'm more than capable of leveling your estate to the ground, without any help. You should thank Hinata. She is the only reason that you are still breathing." Sasuke warns him casually.

"Uchiha, get out of my house. You are not welcome here!" Hiashi bellows.

"Gladly, but I am taking my son and Hinata with me." Sasuke says as he scoops Seiko out of Neji's hands and grabs onto Hinata's, before teleporting them off.

"Damn it!" Hiashi growls in frustration.

"All of this could have been avoided. I pleaded with you to make an exception." Neji says.

Hiashi tries to calm himself. He knew that Neji was just upset about the situation. He was as well. Still he couldn't tolerate that sort of cheek.

"Neji, I would encourage you never to say such a thing to me again. I will not be responsible for my temper, if you ignore my advice." He replies.

"Yes, of course. My apologies, Lord Hiashi. I meant no offense." The other lavender eyed man says to him.

"It's forgiven. You are dismissed. I need to be alone, right now." Hiashi says with a sigh and Neji wisely chooses that moment to leave the Hyuga Patriarch's Study.

Meanwhile Kakashi was looking over some legal documents, when he realizes a house had recently been sold. A house that had been bought by Sasuke Uchiha. Well that was certainly interesting.

"It looks like Sasuke is settling back in. Hmm. That's unexpected. I would have thought that he would have just gone back to the Uchiha District or purchased something larger." He muses.

It wasn't a small house by any means, but he would have thought that his former student would want to make more of a statement. It was neither small, nor obsessively large. Perhaps Sasuke just wanted to blend in better.

"That or he just wanted a house closer to the Academy for Seiko." He murmurs to himself.

Kakashi still couldn't believe it. One of his former students was actually a father now. That was going to take some time to wrap his head around. Of course, he had seen Seiko. He just hadn't seen Seiko with Sasuke. It would be interesting to watch the father and son interact.

"Speaking of which, I should probably go and check on them. I can't imagine that the Hyugas aren't going to try something. I need to ensure that Sasuke doesn't go into a rage." He mutters as he leaves his office.

He could have teleported, but he decides to walk. The time it took him to get there, would be rather useful. It would allow him a few moments to collect his thoughts.

Kakashi wasn't entirely certain what he was going to say to the young family. He just knew that he should say something. The Hyuga Clan wasn't going to sit idly by as Seiko grew up. They were understandably nervous and they possibly had a very good reason to be.

"Well I suppose it's up to me to prevent a Clan War from developing later down the line." He muses as he arrives and knocks on the door.

He smiles when he sees that it was Hinata who answered it. That was good. She was less likely to be as grumpy as Sasuke would be. Well at least that's what he thought, until he saw the look on her face.

"Hinata, what's wrong?" He asks.

"We just got back from a discussion with her father." Sasuke mutters from his position on the couch.

There was a playpen only a few feet away. Clearly, he was keeping an eye on Seiko. It would have been rather adorable, if Sasuke hadn't said that last part.

"I take it that the discussion didn't go well?" The silver haired ninja inquires.

"It didn't. Father essentially begged Sasuke to stay away from us. So I went and confronted him about it. I'm not proud of it, but I hit him." Hinata asks.

"I AM proud of that part though." Sasuke says smugly and Kakashi chuckles when Hinata gives him a dirty look for that comment.

Hmm. Well that was a good sign. It looked like Sasuke's sense of humor was still intact. Maybe he really would be able to move on from the horrors of the past, after all.

"Anyone would be angry, after what you have been through. It's understandable. I have to admit that I have concerns though. What happened during this discussion?" Kakashi prods her gently.

"He said that he might be able to convince the elders to take me back, if Sasuke wasn't involved in Seiko's life. Amongst other things, that was the main point. I didn't like him trying to take away Seiko's father and insulting Sasuke. I hit him. A Clan War was referenced, but only as a warning. I don't believe that father would actually do it." Hinata says.

Kakashi sighs. He was afraid that might happen. To Sasuke, this had to be the ultimate slap in the face. His child wasn't being recognized by the Hyugas. Whatever Sasuke's opinion on them might be, Clan Honor was still important to him. That was a grave insult.

"I see. Well I am glad that you two were mostly able to keep your tempers in check. Remember, Seiko would likely be the one who suffered most under a Clan War." The CopyCat Ninja says.

"I'm aware of that. That's one of two reasons why Hiashi is still breathing. That and the fact that it would upset Hinata, if I killed him." Sasuke says.

Hinata sighs. On one hand, she was grateful that Sasuke was taking her feelings into account. On the other, it did disturb him that violence was still his first impulse.

How could he be so gentle with her and Seiko and so aggressive towards the rest of the world? It was hard to reconcile the loving father and gentle lover with the ninja who could level mountains with ease. Maybe someday, she would be able to hold those two opposing images of him in her head. Right now, it was confusing though.

"How very considerate of you. Well we do still have a problem. Even if you and the Hyugas are able to avoid a Clan War, there is another matter that is cause for concern. Sasuke's image." He states simply.

"I don't see why that's a problem." Sasuke says with a shrug.

If the other Leaf Villagers feared him, that was fine with him. He didn't care what they thought about him. He just wanted to make up for his misdeeds. Besides, it was better for Seiko. If they were afraid of him, they were less likely to target his son.

"It would be easier on Seiko, if everyone wasn't terrified of you. Have you thought about what you are going to do, now that you are back?" The Hokage inquires.

"I'm going to be there for my son. That's what I'm going to do." Sasuke says as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I meant besides that. Unless you are telling me that you intend to be a Stay at Home Father. While I would support that decision, I'm not entirely certain that you would be fully satisfied in an exclusively domestic role." The masked ninja replies.

Sasuke frowns as he considers it. He loved Seiko. He wouldn't get bored, if he were to just stay at home and care for his son. He had more than enough money. None of them had to work, if they didn't want to. Kakashi was right though. Eventually, he would get restless.

"That's true. I haven't really thought about it. I just assumed that I would go back to being a combat ninja." Sasuke admits.

"That's certainly an option, but I don't believe that it is the best one. People have to get used to seeing you in a way that they don't consider threatening. Perhaps, it is time for you to consider another specialization. There are many careers that ninjas can pursue. Not all of them have to be combat focused." The other man continues.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He wasn't entirely certain what Kakashi was getting at. It sounded like he had dreamed up some crazy plan though.

"I suppose that's true. What are you suggesting?" Sasuke asks.

"Well I didn't have anything concrete in mind, but two options do stand out. Medic and Academy Instructor. The Sharingan means that you would master medical jutsus much faster than most people. You could easily sail through training. It would also give people a chance to see that your Clan is capable of more than just destruction. An Academy Instructor is another good choice because you would be by Hinata. That certainly would soften your image." The silver haired ninja offers.

Sasuke blinks. He never would have thought that anyone should suggest that he should be a medic or an Academy Instructor. The very idea was laughable on its face, but Kakashi had presented a compelling case.

"I could learn the jutsus quickly and I have the chakra reserves for a medic, but I think my chakra is too destructive in nature to ever really be a healer. I like the idea of being close to Hinata, but I'm not really sure how many parents would trust me with their children." Sasuke says with a sigh.

"I will vouch for you. You wouldn't be alone with them. Hinata and Iruka would be with you. If they truly have an issue with it, they will have to pull their child out of the Academy. I doubt many parents will be willing to go that far though." The Hokage replies in a comforting fashion.

Sasuke glances at Hinata to get her opinion on the matter. He wasn't entirely sure this was a good idea. The bluenette had been training to become an instructor though. She would likely have a better grasp of the situation.

"I think it's a good idea, Sasuke. You are wonderful with Seiko. I don't know if you just like kids in general or if it's because he's your son. It's a good idea though. People will get to see the real you this way. That and I think you'd get bored, if you just stayed home all day." She admits.

"I haven't really been around children much. Other than Seiko, I can't say that I've interacted with them often. I guess it couldn't hurt to try. Though I don't know if I agree with that last statement about getting bored. I could always take a shower." Sasuke says with a smirk.

Kakashi chuckles when he notices that Hinata's face was now a deep shade of red. That was certainly interesting. It seemed that the two of them were living together for more than just Seiko's benefit.

"S-sasuke!" She stammers.

"Now, she's a shy kitten again. You should have seen her with Hiashi, Kakashi. She was a tigress." Sasuke says smugly.

The silver haired Hokage just shakes his head in amusement. This would be good for Sasuke. He had a family now. He might even be in love. Well even if Sasuke wasn't in love, it was good for him to have a healthy relationship with a woman. Apparently a physical relationship, at that.

"I am almost sorry that I missed it. I suppose that I should count my blessings that the Hyuga Estate is still standing. Is there anything else that I should know?" He inquires.

"Well I am training Hinata how to use a sword and I'm going to teach her how to summon snakes." Sasuke says.

"Well good to know. I don't think that will have much impact on the village though. I see that the two of you are busy. It looks like Seiko is a little tired. Perhaps you should put him down for a nap. I'll see the two of you later. I'm going to speak with Iruka about potentially making Sasuke an Academy Instructor." Kakashi says as he heads out the door.

Once he was gone, Sasuke looks at Hinata. He couldn't believe that she thought he would make a good teacher. That had come out of leftfield.

"Do you really think that I'd be good at it?" He asks.

"Well you are very smart and you have a lot of knowledge that you could pass on when it comes to fighting. Besides, you are very good with Seiko. I think you can manage." Hinata reassures him.

"Maybe." Sasuke agrees.

Seiko yawns and looks up at his mommy and the big person. He wasn't sure what had happened with the other big person. The only thing he knew is that mommy and the big person who was around the most were mad at him.

"Kakashi was right though. We really should put Seiko down for a nap." Hinata agrees.

"Yeah. We should. Was it wrong that I found you smacking Hiashi around attractive?" Sasuke asks as he scoops up their son and carries him to his crib.

"Yes, it was wrong." Hinata says as she shakes her head and watches Sasuke place Seiko down for a nap.

Sasuke shrugs. Well it was probably wrong. He couldn't help it though. The bastard had deserved it and there was something disturbingly erotic about an angry Hinata. (Well as long as her anger wasn't directed at him anyway.)

"Well I'm not going to take it back. That would make me a liar. It's nice to see that my kitten has claws." He muses with a smirk.

"Sasuke, you are impossible and I can't believe you mentioned the shower in front of Kakashi!" She scolds him.

"He wouldn't have known what I meant, if you hadn't blushed that much. Hinata, we have a son together. I think Kakashi is intelligent enough to realize how Seiko came into existence. It's not like he already doesn't know." Sasuke says and he umpfs when Hinata pins him to the bed.

She still couldn't believe he had actually said that in front of Kakashi. On some level, she knew that Sasuke was right. Kakashi certainly knew how human reproduction happened, but it was still really embarrassing.

It was one thing to lose control of herself when she was alone with him. That didn't mean that she was ready to become an exhibitionist though. She really probably should put her foot down.

"That's true, but still you shouldn't say things like that in front of other people! It's indecent!" She informs him.

"You didn't seem to mind my indecency when you were moaning my name in the shower, but I suppose you're right. I won't tease you about it in public anymore. Now in private, that's another matter." Sasuke tells her with a smirk as he flips them and Hinata gulps.

She may have created a monster. Sasuke may have been slow to express any interest in the opposite sex or physical affection, but now he was apparently eager to make up for lost time.

"Th-at was different. You weren't telling Kakashi about our love life then." She mumbles and feels her face burn in embarrassment.

"I wasn't exactly giving him explicit details, but you're right. I shouldn't have teased you like that. Let me make it up to you." He whispers hotly into her ear and Hinata shivers in anticipation because she knew that she had definitely created a monster.


	10. Chapter 10

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** This chapter takes place six months after the last one. Seiko is now 10 months old. Fun fact: Babies generally begin walking when they are 9-12 months old. Though some perfectly healthy children don't start walking till 16-17 months.

Chapter 10

Six months had passed and Sasuke was settling into a domestic life. People still looked at him with a combination of awe and terror, but that didn't really matter too much to him at the moment. They were slowly getting used to him.

"Sasuke, do you have any crayons?" Hinata asks as she peeks through the doorway of his classroom.

"There should be some in Iruka's desk. Third drawer down." Sasuke replies.

Hinata was teaching the youngest students and Sasuke was teaching the oldest. Iruka was still teaching the children in the "middle" and was currently in charge of the Academy overall.

"Thanks!" She says and scurries off.

It was decided that Sasuke should teach the oldest children in an effort to soothe the anxieties of some very worried parents. Most didn't want Sasuke Uchiha near their children, especially not the younger children. So Sasuke teaching the oldest set of children had been the compromise.

Hinata was a natural with small children. In Sasuke's mind, it only made sense that she would deal with the youngest students. That left Iruka stuck in the middle. Though the eldest Uchiha suspected that Iruka was grateful for the extra help.

"Today, we are going to cover Geography. Can anyone tell me the names of the Five Great Ninja Nations?" Sasuke asks his class, once Hinata had left.

Not surprisingly, nearly every female hand in the class shot up. There were some boy hands, but in general the boys knew better. The girls were quite competitive academically and the boys preferred to show off with Taijutsu or Ninjutsu.

Sasuke was pretty sure that the two genders were just wired differently in that way. He remembered a similar pattern in his own class. Hinata disagreed. She thought that the children were just conditioned from a young age by society. Boys were encouraged to be aggressive and girls were encouraged to display other traits.

"Kaiko." He says simply, calling on a young brunette.

"The Fire Nation, Wind Nation, Water Nation, Earth Nation, and Lightning Nation." She answers his question.

"Very good. That's correct." Sasuke replies.

He never imagined that he'd be an Academy Instructor. Sasuke didn't really mind the job. It meant that he was close to Hinata and it wasn't dangerous. That meant that there was a high chance that he would actually live long enough to watch Seiko grow up. That and his students could also be amusing at times.

The most annoying aspects of the job were the occasional paper cut and the oldest girls. Most of them had already developed crushes on him. He didn't really know why. Clearly, they had to know that he was already taken and they were all way too young for him to have any interest in them, even if he wasn't.

"Can anyone tell me what are the two most dangerous things that a ninja traveling to the Sand Village faces?" He asks.

Another hand went up. This time it was a boy. Brave boy, Sasuke thinks to himself. He was actually willing to risk "stealing" the limelight from his female classmates.

"Yes, Keita?" Sasuke calls on him.

"Sandstorms and heatstroke." The sandy blonde informs him.

"That's correct." The eldest Uchiha says with a smile.

Well at least they were smarter than the class he had been stuck with. That was something. Then again, they had a very good incentive to learn. They were being taught by him. While their parents were certainly iffy on him at best, children were simpler creatures.

The boys wanted to become strong. They didn't really seem to care too much about his past. They just knew what he was capable of and that was why they mostly applied themselves, with a few exceptions. The girls wanted to impress him for other reasons. Sasuke decided not to be picky. It didn't really matter why they were studying, just that they were.

"Alright. It's lunch time. Class dismissed for now. Be back in an hour." He informs them and the ninjas in training all head off to the cafeteria.

Sasuke smiles and heads to Hinata's classroom. He knew that she dismissed her students for lunch at the same time. He walks over to her and kisses her cheek.

"How are the classes going?" She asks.

"Better than expected. They're a lot smarter than most of the kids in our year were. I think their parents are still suitably terrified of me though." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Sasuke, be nice." She says warningly.

Sasuke shrugs. It was fun to scare them now and then. He didn't even have to try.

"Well I have to have some fun when we aren't home." Sasuke shrugs.

Hinata felt her face burn brightly at that implication. It had been six months. They were definitely together in every sense of the word. A year ago, she never would have suspected that Sasuke would be this playful and enjoy teasing her so much. Things were different now though.

"You're horrible. You know that, right?" She asks with a giggle.

"Yes, I know that and you're beautiful." Sasuke says and he kisses her.

Hinata smiles and returns the kiss. While Sasuke may still be struggling to reintegrate with the rest of the village, he didn't seem to have any problems expressing affection towards her now. It was just most of the time, he expressed it ways that certainly weren't appropriate to do inside the Academy. Kisses during lunch breaks were acceptable though. Very acceptable.

"You can be very sweet, when you want to be." Hinata muses, after breaking the kiss.

"Only for you and Seiko. Don't let anyone else know that." Sasuke replies and Hinata laughs as she caresses his cheek.

"Mmm don't worry. I won't tell. I promise." She whispers and Sasuke nods his head approvingly.

Iruka shakes his head in amusement as he watches the two of them from the doorway. They were too enamored with each other to notice his presence just yet. It had to be love. He was positive that Sasuke would never have let his guard down this much otherwise.

"Did the two of you get those essays graded?" He inquires as he strides over to them.

"Yes, Iruka Sensei!" Hinata says as she hands him a stack of papers.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. It really did amuse him that Hinata would still call Iruka that. She was a grown woman. Hinata was a mother and she was still calling him Iruka Sensei like she was an Academy Student.

"Mine are done as well. They're in my classroom though." Sasuke says.

"Alright. Well if you can put them on my desk before you leave, that would be wonderful." Iruka states.

"Yeah. I'll do that." The Uchiha replies.

It really was a miracle. He had known them both since they were small children. Honestly, this was not a match that he ever saw coming. Somehow, it worked.

He wasn't entirely certain how. The two of them couldn't be anymore different though. Perhaps there was some merit to the old saying that opposites attract.

Iruka could now see echoes of the boy that Sasuke had been before the Massacre. He was still guarded and seemed to enjoy his infamous status a bit too much, but Hinata was a good influence on him. A calming force.

"Good. Well I hate to bring this up, but tonight is the parent-teacher conference." Iruka says.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He didn't see why that would be an issue. It was standard procedure to hold one at least once a year. Sometimes two or three conferences.

"Yes, I'm aware of that. What I'm not aware of is why that fact makes you so nervous." Sasuke states bluntly.

Hinata winces. Iruka sighs because he knew that the bluenette knew exactly why he was so nervous about the conference. There were a couple Hyuga children enrolled in the Academy and Hiashi was still the head of that Clan. This could end in disaster.

"Sasuke, maybe you should skip it." Hinata whispers.

He tilts his head to the side in confusion. Why would his kitten encourage him to skip out on the conference? It didn't make any sense.

"Why should I? What's wrong?" He asks.

"There are a few Hyuga children who are currently enrolled in the Academy. It may become a rather uncomfortable situation for you two. Hiashi Hyuga will likely attend the event." Iruka tells him.

Sasuke's eyes narrow. So that was why Hinata and Iruka were so nervous. They weren't sure how he would react around Hiashi. Now it all made sense.

"I'm going. I'm an Instructor at this Academy. He doesn't have the right to prevent me from performing ALL my duties. If he has an issue with it, he can make a scene. I doubt he will. His pride is what matters most to him." Sasuke growls.

"Sasuke, calm down. It's over. He hasn't made any attempts to come near either of us in six months. If we are lucky, we may not need to speak with him at all." Hinata says as she kisses his cheek.

"Somehow, I doubt we are going to get lucky." The raven haired ninja mutters.

Iruka sighs. This was likely going to get brutal. He could only hope that somehow, everyone left this conference in one piece. He wasn't going to count on it though.

Later that day, Hinata and Sasuke head home. Kurenai was watching Seiko for them. The Genjutsu Mistress smiles when they walk through the door.

"He was a very good boy toy and is getting along quite well with Mirai. He's such a little ladies man." She giggles.

"That's good. I'm glad that he's making friends." Sasuke says.

He tries to keep the irritation out of his voice. Sasuke wasn't angry at the female ninja. She had been nothing, but kind to him since his return. He was angry at Hiashi. Not her.

The young father soon realizes that he hadn't managed to hide his annoyance successfully. Kurenai immediately frowns and looks at Hinata uncertainly. It was obvious that the red eyed woman knew something was amiss.

"Is everything alright?" She asks.

"We are probably going to have to face my father for the first time in months tonight. Are you able to stay and watch Seiko until we get back?" The Hyuga woman quietly asks.

"Yes, I can stay for a few hours. I doubt that you will be gone that long." Kurenai answers her.

Sasuke shakes his head. No. Not this time. Hiashi had made his decision and he was going to live with the consequences.

"Thank you, Kurenai. I hope that won't be necessary though. Hinata, I want to take Seiko with us." Sasuke says.

Hinata blinks. Had her lover lost his mind? Why would he want to take Seiko to a place that he knew her father was going to be? That was just asking for a fight.

"Sasuke, I don't think that's a very good idea." The Hyuga woman replies.

"I think it's a very good idea. Seiko is only a baby now, but he's going to get bigger. Eventually, he's going to be out and about in the village. There is a good chance that sooner or later, he will run into your family. Confronting him now, will save Seiko from future heartbreak or at least soften the blow." The Uchiha Patriarch reasons.

Hinata sighs. She knew that Sasuke was right in a way. That didn't mean that she liked it though.

"Alright. We'll take him. Father won't risk making too great a public spectacle of himself. It's his words that will likely cut like a knife." She murmurs.

"His words shouldn't affect you. Hiashi made his decision. It was the wrong one. It wasn't your fault. He should have been more understanding." Sasuke says as he walks over to Seiko.

Seiko smiles at the other Uchiha. He knew who this was now. This was daddy. He had to be daddy. Otherwise, he wouldn't be around mommy so much. He had seen some other children with their mommies and daddies. This person acted like a daddy.

He raises out his hands to Sasuke and stumbles over to him. Three pairs of eyes widen as Seiko takes his first tentative steps. He took about two or three of them before he stumbled over on his way to Sasuke.

"WAHHHH!" Seiko cries out in frustration more than pain.

Seiko had thought that he might be able move like the big people did. He had for a little bit, but then he fell. Seiko did NOT like falling!

"It's okay." Sasuke says as he scoops up his son and rocks him.

"He walked!" Hinata says, positively beaming at the knowledge.

"Yes, he did. You're a big boy now." The eldest Uchiha tells Seiko.

He didn't really understand a lot of words yet, but he understood the tone. His daddy was happy and so was mommy. Seiko coos in response.

"He'll be running around and getting into everything, before you know it." Kurenai says with a smile as she gestures for Mirai to follow her.

Sasuke nods in agreement. Their son would be at the Academy in the blink of an eye, he was sure of it. Both of them were really lucky that they had gotten home when they did. Otherwise, they might have missed out on his first steps!

"Thank you, Kurenai Sensei. I guess we should get ready for the conference." Hinata says and the Genjutsu Mistress nods as she walks off with her daughter.

A few hours later, the young family makes their way to the Academy. Seiko might have only been ten months old, but even he could feel the change in the atmosphere. Mommy and daddy had gone from being happy to being very quiet.

"Ah there you are." Iruka greets them.

"Yes, here we are." Sasuke agrees and Hinata nods.

"Well I'm sure that everyone will be quite eager to meet Seiko." He muses as he leans into the stroller.

Iruka couldn't resist playing with Seiko's toys. Honestly, he was such an adorable child. It was hard to reconcile the cute image that he currently presented with what he would likely one day become. A fearsome ninja.

"I hope so." Hinata says with a shy smile.

She didn't mind Iruka playing with Seiko. Iruka was kind and her son didn't seem upset by the attention. Thankfully, it didn't seem like Sasuke was in a hurry to protest either.

"Well let's get started." Sasuke says and Iruka nods in agreement.

He leads them to the cafeteria. It was decided that was just the easiest place to hold these types of things. There were just so many students, parents, and guardians in the building. It would be hard to fit them all in another place.

"Attention. Attention. Thank you all for coming. I know that it means the world to our students to have your support as they begin their careers as ninjas." Iruka says with practiced ease.

"He's given this speech, a lot." Sasuke whispers to Hinata who giggles.

"Yes, I imagine he's quite used to it by now." The bluenette confirms.

It didn't take long for Iruka to wrap up his speech. Sasuke was getting a bit overwhelmed by all the students and their parents. It was one thing to run a classroom full of kids who were 12 and under. It was another to deal with their families.

"Yes, she's doing fine. She needs to work on her kunai throwing accuracy a little bit though. On the other hand, she's excellent at Geography and Genjutsu." Sasuke says to one of the parents.

He had learned awhile ago that these people were just as protective of their little bundles of joy as he was of Seiko. It was best to soften any criticism with some praise. Preferably more praise than criticism.

"Ah well that's good. We'll work on that while she's at home." The girl's father says.

"Great." Sasuke says, nodding in approval.

Hinata smiles. She was talking to a group of parents. Sasuke glances back at her and couldn't help but envy her. Hinata was dealing with the little kids. There was a lot less constructive criticism to be given at that age. That and she was a natural with all children, it seemed. Not just Seiko.

"Yes, I think that he's becoming a little less shy." Hinata says encouragingly.

Sasuke was a different matter. In general, he liked children more than he liked most adults. He lacked Hinata's natural affinity for them though.

"Oh well that's good. I was getting worried there. The boy tends to prefer to keep to himself. He's young now. So it's not really an issue, but I don't want him to grow up and become a hermit or something." The boy's mother replies.

Seiko was one thing. That was his son. Other children were a different story. The bond just wasn't there naturally, like it was with Seiko. He was working on it though.

Things were going normally, until Sasuke saw Hiashi. He hoped that the man was smart enough to keep a wide berth. Hinata had smacked him, after all. (He was still enormously proud of her for that!)

"Iruka, perhaps it would be best, if you told me how the children in my Clan are doing." Hiashi says.

"They are all doing well. Sasuke and Hinata each have a Hyuga in their class. I do hope that you weren't planning on causing a scene tonight." Iruka pleads with him.

"I would never cause a scene. This isn't a private family affair. It's a public one. I have too much respect for these people to interrupt their evening in such a fashion. I do hope that Sasuke and Hinata feel the same way though." He says.

Hiashi sighs as glances at Sasuke. He had the stroller next to him. Seiko had grown quite a great deal in the past few months. The boy would be enrolled in the Academy before he knew it. Hiashi Hyuga had no idea how to feel about that.

He was clearly the star of the show tonight though. Everyone wanted to get a peek at Seiko. For the most part, the young couple tended to keep him at their home or to drop him off at their friend's homes while they were busy teaching. So it was a rare day when anyone got more than a glimpse of him.

"I'm glad to hear that. I truly wish that there was a way to stop all this bad blood between the three of you." Iruka continues.

"Thank you, Iruka. You're a good man. Unfortunately, this is a very complicated matter. I wish things were different, but they are not." The Hyuga Patriarch mutters.

Seiko certainly hadn't inherited his mother's shyness, Hiashi notes in amusement. The boy seemed to be basking in the attention. He was cooing happily at anyone who wanted to play with him.

"Well I hope that one day that will change." Iruka offers diplomatically as he heads off to speak with other parents.

Hinata blinks when she saw Temari and Shikamaru in the cafeteria. What were they doing here? Their child was way too young to be enrolled. Curious, she approaches them.

"Hello, Temari. Hello, Shikamaru." She greets them cheerfully.

"Hey, Hinata. It's good to see you out and about." Temari says.

"We are just checking out the Academy. It's a drag, but Temari's never really see what it's like here before. She wants to make sure when our daughter is old enough to enroll, that it's suitable." Shikamaru says with a yawn.

Hinata laughs. That did sound like Temari and Shikamaru. They were perhaps the most well known international couple. Temari had moved to the Leaf Village, shortly after the war. The two of them now had a daughter only a couple months older than Seiko.

"I see. Well I hope that you like it. Though that it may be a little too early to start worrying about such things." She assures him.

"I know. I tried to tell her that, but you know how stubborn the woman can be." Shikamaru says and then he owes when Temari whacks him upside the head playfully.

As their conversation was going on, Sasuke saw Hiashi looking at Seiko. He didn't care for that at all. He knew that he would have to address this though. So he pushes the stroller over to him.

"This is your grandson. I figured you wouldn't recognize him without an introduction." He hisses in a low voice.

Sasuke knew exactly how loud he could be before others would hear him. He was counting on the fact that Hiashi Hyuga would be reluctant to cause a scene in public. That was something that Sasuke planned to use to his advantage.

"You're wrong. I recognize him perfectly fine." Hiashi says.

Hinata stiffens when she hears the sound of her father's voice and Sasuke's. That's when she noticed that they were speaking with each other. Naturally, she rushes over to prevent a bloodbath.

"It's alright, Kitten. We're just talking." Sasuke assures her and kisses her cheek.

He knew that the "innocent" pet name and affectionate gesture would infuriate Hiashi. Sasuke loved calling her that and kissing her, but mostly he was doing it to annoy the Hyuga Patriarch at the moment. Hinata must have realized what he was up to because she gave him a disapproving look.

"Yes, we were just talking. He's growing so fast." Hiashi says.

"When he is big enough to walk around the village, I won't tolerate any of your Clan harassing him. They are to treat him like any other member of the Leaf Village." Hinata says firmly.

"Hinata, I'm surprised that you would feel the need to say that. Unfortunately, certain actions were necessary to protect our family. I wouldn't tolerate cruelty to the boy. It's not his fault who his father is. I have to say that I'm impressed. Sasuke seems almost civilized these days." He muses.

Sasuke bites back a snarl. He felt one of his eyes bleed ruby red. Strong emotions had a way of activating his Sharingan unconsciously. Rage was a familiar and very strong emotion. It would always do the trick.

"Sasuke is VERY civilized. I mean it. Don't allow your Clan to be cruel to Seiko. He had no say in who his parents were." Hinata insists.

"I'm not going to allow them to treat him unfairly. You have my word on that much. I know that it may not seem like it, but I do love my grandson." Hiashi replies.

"You're right. It doesn't seem like it. Hinata, I believe that we've said all that needs to be said at the moment. Would you like to go home?" Sasuke asks.

"I think that would be a good idea. We've already spoken to all the other parents and guardians anyway. By the way, Lord Hiashi?" Hinata says as she places her hands on the stroller.

Hiashi raises an eyebrow. It looked like Hinata had something important that she wanted to say. Maybe she was actually going to see reason.

"Yes, Hinata?" He asks.

"Seiko can walk now. Eventually, we'll find out which side of the family tree he takes after. Either way, you should remind your Clan that he's likely to become a very powerful ninja. Don't provoke him." She mutters as she leaves with her family.

Hinata sighs. She hated that it had come to this. She hated that she had to threaten her own father to ensure that he wouldn't be cruel to Seiko, but she would do whatever was necessary to protect her son.

"You did the right thing, Hinata. You can't let that bastard walk all over you." Sasuke says.

"I know. I did what was necessary to protect him, but it still hurts." She whispers.

"I know that it does, but you protect our son. You're a good mother. That's something that Hiashi Hyuga will never be able to take away from you." Sasuke assures as they arrive home a few minutes later.

Home. It was a strange feeling. Sasuke had a home again. For many years, he hadn't had that. Sasuke had certainly never considered the Sound Village his home and after that he had traveled to many places, but never settled.

"We're home." Sasuke says.

Well he never settled until he found out about Seiko. Now he had a family again. He damn sure wasn't going to let Hiashi Hyuga take it away from him. Either he would see reason and leave them be or he would have to start throwing around a few Chidoris. The young father had always found that to be a very effective form of communication. If nothing else, it was certain to get his point across.

"Yes." Hinata agrees with a smile as she kisses Sasuke's cheek.

Somehow it would all work out. She had faith that it would. After all, if Sasuke Uchiha could become an Academy Instructor, anything was possible. Perhaps they would even find a way to coexist with her family in the same village, without a Clan War erupting. Now THAT would certainly be a miracle. Hinata could only hope that that miracle would come to pass for the sake of her family, the Hyuga Clan, and the Leaf Village as a whole. Anything less, would likely spell a disaster for all of them.


	11. Chapter 11

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation** : Seiko is about ten months old in this chapter. Most babies begin to actually talk around 11 months to 14 months old. So he's a smidge ahead of schedule. I figure if Itachi can graduate the Academy at seven, Seiko can start talking a bit early.

Chapter 11

A few days later, it was Saturday. Sasuke and Hinata didn't have to teach on the weekend. Hinata was now out with the female members of the Rookie Nine, Kurenai, and Tsunade. They were having a "Girls' Day Out."

Sasuke didn't really want to know what went on during these excursions. He filed that firmly under the _**I Don't Want To Know Category.**_ That wasn't what mattered though.

"Don't worry, Seiko. She'll be back soon." Sasuke says as he continues preparing dinner.

What mattered was that Hinata would likely have a good time, spending the day with her friends. That and she would be in a good mood when she returned. That was definitely something that would be rather helpful in his "Mission."

Seiko watches as his daddy curiously. He wasn't sure where mommy was, but daddy didn't seem worried. So Seiko was sure that she'd be back. He still didn't know what Sasuke was up to though.

"I'm going to propose to her." He tells Seiko.

He didn't really know why he was telling his son that. It wasn't as if the baby had any idea what he was talking about. Sasuke supposed that it was because it filled the silence and soothed his nerves.

The Uchiha didn't know why he was nervous. They already had a son together. They lived together and they were lovers. This was just making it official. Essentially, they were married in all but name.

"Dada?" Seiko asks curiously and Sasuke's eyes widen.

He was so in shock that Seiko said his first official word, that he forgot he was cooking over the stove. Sasuke was soon reminded of that fact when the fire licked his hand.

"Ahh!" He growls and immediately moves his hand, putting some aloe on it.

"Dada?" Seiko asks in a concerned voice.

"I'm fine, Seiko. Yes, dada." He says proudly and scoops up his son and rocks him.

Seiko coos and giggles. Daddy must be okay. He seemed very happy. Seiko smiles and snuggles into his chest.

"Such a good boy." Sasuke praises him, ignoring the pain in his hand from the burn as he looks at Seiko and the ring that he was planning on giving Hinata.

It was a golden wedding band with a white diamond heart surrounded by a golden frame and more white diamonds surrounding it. Once upon a time, it had belonged to his mother. Sasuke thought it would be fitting, if it ended up belonging to the mother of his child now.

Seiko blinks as he sees the ring. Shiny. He reaches out for it and Sasuke keeps it out of his grasp.

"No. No. I love you, but this isn't something that you want to put in your mouth. You could choke on it." Sasuke says as he places the ring inside his pocket.

Seiko pouts slightly at being denied the chance to investigate the shiny thing. He liked shiny things. They were fun to play with.

"Dada?" He asks, figuring that maybe that would do the trick.

"You're clever. Already trying to butter me up and you aren't even a year old." Sasuke says with a smile as he kisses Seiko's forehead.

The infant coos in response. He was still confused about the ring, but maybe he'd figure it out later. For now, he was just happy to be the center of his daddy's attention.

"You're mother is going to be so proud of you. Hopefully, you'll say it in front of her too." Sasuke muses.

He wasn't exactly sure how talkative Seiko was going to be. There was a chance that he might be shy about his newfound ability in front of Hinata. Sasuke hoped that wasn't going to be the case, but he knew that it was a real possibility.

Meanwhile Hinata was out with her friends. At the moment, they were all at the spa. Ino and Sakura were getting their hair done. Tsunade and Tenten enjoying some massages. Sakura was off in the sauna somewhere. Finally, Hinata and Kurenai were getting their nails done.

That was one nice thing about being a teacher, Hinata muses. She knew that indulging in such pursuits like getting her nails done wasn't entirely useless. A combat ninja wouldn't bother with something like this. Nails were often one of the first "causalities" of being a combat ninja. It was just a fact of life.

"It's nice that Sasuke understands the importance of these outings." Kurenai offers.

"I don't think that he really understands him. As soon as I say that I'm going on one of them, he looks at me as if I just told him that I'm going to the Moon. He knows that I enjoy them though. So he doesn't argue." Hinata says with a giggle.

"That's good. How are things going between the two of you besides that?" The Genjutsu asks.

That's when the other nearby female ninjas all turn their attention back towards Hinata. The bluenette smiles sheepishly. Oh for goodness sake's even the woman doing her nails, suddenly looked curious.

"Really good. He's great with Seiko and we're getting along very well." She mumbles and feels her face heating up.

The young mother hoped that they weren't going to press for elaboration on that really well part. Hinata was quite happy with what they did in private. Almost deliriously happy at times really, but she still wasn't comfortable discussing how Seikos were made with her friends.

"Emphasis on the really good part. You're blushing." Tenten observes with amusement.

"Maybe a little." She mumbles and she knew at that moment that her face was probably redder than Sasuke's Sharingan.

"Oh don't tease her too much. Be happy for her. That's good news, Hinata. I have no idea how you managed it, but I'm happy for you." Tsunade offers.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade." Hinata says as she mentally sighs in relief.

She loved her friends. She really did. It was just that sometimes, their love of gossip could get a little out of control. Hinata knew that they all meant well, but that didn't change the fact that they could be overwhelming sometimes.

"Speaking about Team Seven Men…" Ino begins and Kurenai gives her a dirty look.

Oh no. She wasn't playing that game. Just because Kakashi had gotten her some flowers for her birthday didn't meant the man was in love with her. Ino's family owned the flower shop. Unfortunately, that meant that the blonde knew all about the flowers. Ever since then, Ino was bound and determined to play matchmaker.

"Ino. No. Just no." Kurenai warns her.

"What about Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Kakashi, and Captain Yamato?" Sakura asks as she comes back from her Sauna.

Hinata blinks. When Sakura put it like that, one thing became clear. Team Seven was not a normal team. She had never really thought about it, but there had actually been many reincarnations of that team.

"Oh I was talking about Kakashi. He got Kurenai Sensei flowers for her birthday." Ino says cheerfully.

Hinata shakes her head in amusement. In a way, she felt bad for her Sensei. The bluenette couldn't lie though. She was also very relieved. Thank goodness, at least they were no longer focused on her.

Elsewhere, Hiashi sighs as he continues his training regime. Normally, he would have poured all of his focus into it. Sadly, his heart just wasn't in it today and for good reason.

His eldest daughter was likely too far gone. That demon had his fangs into her too deeply. Sasuke had been living with her for months now. One would almost think that he was a normal father. He knew the truth though. It was just the calm before the storm.

"Lord Hiashi, would you like some tea?" One of the Branch Members asks.

"Oh yes. Just leave it over on the table. I'll get to it shortly." He replies, after ceasing his punches.

The Branch Member nods and places the tea on the table. She quickly exits. Everyone knew of Hiashi's troubles with Hinata. It was no mystery why he was behaving strangely these days and she wasn't eager to get caught in the crossfire.

"Wonderful. Now my own Clan is tiptoeing around me as if they are terrified of my very presence." He mutters as he heads over to grab some tea.

Perhaps things would look better after a nice cup of the familiar beverage. Sighing, he begins sipping it. He needed to come up with some sort of plan.

Sasuke didn't seem in a hurry to take his advice. It was likely that he was going to stay with her. That thought did terrify him. Who knew what he would end up teaching Seiko?

"Well I have to do something. They may no longer be Hyugas in name, but they are still Hyugas by blood." He mutters.

He knew that the elders were getting restless. Their hope had been that Hinata would raise Seiko as a civilian, once it became apparent that Sasuke was never coming back from his Journey of Redemption. Obviously, that hadn't worked out as they planned.

Now they were stuck with the fact that Sasuke was apparently going to play a very active role in the boy's life. This could only end in disaster. Hiashi doubted that even Hinata's kindness would fully be enough to compensate for the fact that Seiko's father was a monster.

"He has half of her inside him and half of him. I suppose we shall see which is the stronger half. For now though, I must act." He mutters.

Trying to reason with them hadn't worked. He was going to have to be more subtle. Maybe he should aim for a reconciliation. Once their bond was reestablished, perhaps he could reason with Hinata.

"Well it's my best chance." He says to himself as he begins to walk out of the Hyuga Estate.

On his way out, he was stopped by one of the elders. Hiashi sighs. He knew what topic was on their mind.

"I am going to speak with Hinata. It may be a long and slow process, but I believe that perhaps I have a new idea that might solve our situation." He says.

"Good. I won't lie to you, Hiashi. The others are getting rather nervous. The fact that Hinata actually slapped you only adds fuel to their anxieties. I really do not know how much longer things will stay calm, if nothing is done. I don't trust that man." Dai says.

Dai was one of the Hyuga Elders. He was probably twice Hiashi's age and that was certainly saying something. Hiashi was no longer an Academy Student himself.

"I shall do whatever is necessary to protect our Clan. I can assure you of that much." Hiashi says as he bids Dai adieu and heads off.

A few hours later, Hinata returns home. As soon as she walked through the door, the scent of dinner hit her nose. Was that steak? She was pretty sure that was steak.

"That smells good." She says with a smile as she greets Sasuke and Seiko.

"Glad you think so. Seiko helped me in the kitchen today." Sasuke tells her as he kisses her cheek.

Seiko coos in response. He knew when he was being talked about by now. That was all the encouragement that Hinata needed to lift up her son into her arms and rock him.

"You're such a good boy." She says.

"He's a smart boy too. He said his first official word today." Sasuke tells her smugly.

"Really? What'd he say?" Hinata asks excitedly.

Sasuke bites his lower lip. He really hoped that Seiko would say it again. Hinata had missed out on him saying it the first time. So he was hoping she'd hear it this time.

"Seiko, say dada again." Sasuke instructs his son encouragingly.

The infant blinks and looks up at Sasuke with curious eyes. He didn't really understand what his father wanted. He knew that he was certainly being addressed though and Sasuke wanted him to do something.

"Dada?" He asks uncertainly.

"You did it! That's right, Seiko. You're a big boy now. You can walk and talk." Hinata beams with pride.

Seiko smiles and coos. His mommy and daddy were really happy about something. He wasn't sure that he would ever understand big people, but he was more than content to bask in the attention.

"I already fed him. So he should be good for his nap." Sasuke tells Hinata.

"Oh that's good. Thanks for watching him, while I was out with the others. I got my nails done." Hinata informs him.

Sasuke would never understand this obsession women had with their nails. He does note that Hinata's nails were certainly more colorful than usual. Oh well. Whatever made her happy.

"They're very colorful." He offers.

"It's alright. I know that you aren't exactly fascinated by things like that. I do appreciate you watching him though. I'll put him to be bed and then we can have dinner." Hinata says as she heads off with Seiko.

Sasuke smiles and watches her walk off. Thank goodness for snowstorms, he thought once more. Without them, he wouldn't have any of this. He wouldn't have his son or his beautiful lover.

Hinata smiles and sets Seiko down in his bed. She couldn't believe that he could actually talk now. He was growing so fast.

"Maybe I should ask Sasuke if the house is fireproof. There is a chance that you might take after your father." She muses with a giggle and Seiko just coos in response.

She could just imagine the Terrible Twos, Uchiha Style. It was probably best to be prepared. She'd have to talk to Sasuke about the matter later.

Right now, she was just happy to have her son and Sasuke in her life. Seiko looked so adorable, as he yawned and started to settle into his nap. Apparently, he had had a long day "helping" Sasuke in the kitchen and learning how to speak. It was no wonder why he was exhausted.

"That's a good boy. Get some sleep." She says with a smile as she heads off to go eat dinner with Sasuke.

"Hope you like it." Sasuke tells her.

"Sasuke, what happened to your hand? Why is it bandaged?" The bluenette asks in concern when she notices that his left hand was wrapped in bandages.

Sasuke sighs. It was embarrassing, but he was going to have to tell her the truth. The young woman would be too worried to relax, if he didn't and he needed her to be in a good mood before he asked her to marry him.

"I was cooking and Seiko called me Dada. I was shocked and accidentally burned myself. Don't worry. I've certainly had worse. If I can survive losing an arm, I can handle a cooking accident." Sasuke assures her.

"Oh good. Well it's not good that you got burned. It's just good that it isn't serious." She says.

"You're still adorable when you babble and you still babble more accurately than anyone else that I've ever met." Sasuke tells her and he kisses her forehead.

Hinata blushes. It was a habit. Sometimes when she felt embarrassed she either stuttered or babbled. She certainly wasn't nervous around him anymore, but she did sometimes get embarrassed.

"That's very nice of you to say. I think." She murmurs and Sasuke smirks as he kisses her.

The bluenette smiles and returns the kiss. If there was one thing that Sasuke was very good at, it was expressing his love physically. He was highly intelligent, but in a strange way he was also a quiet person. (Most of the time. Well as long as he wasn't around Naruto, really.)

Sasuke certainly wasn't a shy person. It was just that he was an introvert. He was far from mute but things like small talk and talking about his feelings in a healthy way, well for the most part that eluded him. Kissing was another story though.

"I'm glad you think so." He whispers after breaking the kiss and they sit down together to eat.

That's when Hinata noticed that he had placed some roses on the table and there were scented candles. It was very romantic. She had never really known him to be a classic romantic before.

"Did Seiko suggest the roses and candles?" She asks in amusement as she sips her wine.

"Oh yes. He seems to think that you would like the red roses best. I thought you'd prefer white. So we compromised and got both." Sasuke tells her.

"Mmm that's nice." Hinata says and after awhile, she rests her head on his shoulder.

Sasuke was surprisingly cuddly, when he wanted to be. He was a lot like a cat in some ways. For the most part, he would rather be left alone. Only a few select people could get near him, without facing his claws. She just happened to be one of those people and as far as she knew, Hinata was the only one who had Cuddling Privileges.

He wasn't really sure how to go about this. Sasuke had never proposed before. He had never really had to even ask her out technically. The shower incident was the closest he had ever come to doing that. Despite this, Sasuke figured that it was important to at least try to do this the right way.

"I got you something." Sasuke says suddenly.

"You did?" Hinata asks in confusion and Sasuke nods as he places a small velvet box in her hand.

"It used to belong to my mother. I want you to have it. Hinata," The raven haired ninja says.

Hinata blinks. Sasuke was giving her something that belonged to his mother? He didn't realize that he still had anything of Mikoto's. That was shockingly sweet.

"Thank you, Sasuke. I promise that I'll take good care of it." She whispers as she kisses his cheek and opens the box.

"You're welcome and I know that you will. I just hope that it's the right size." Sasuke whispers back.

That's when Hinata gasps. Inside the box, was a beautiful wedding ring. It had to be worth a small fortune.

"Sasuke, this is a wedding ring." The Hyuga woman observes in shock.

She couldn't believe it. Was he actually proposing? Hinata hadn't really thought that he'd do something like that.

"Yes, it's a wedding ring. Hinata, I love you. I didn't think that I'd ever actually love someone, the way that I love you. But I do. We're already living as a family. I just want to make it official. I want you to be my wife." He tells her.

Sasuke didn't expect what happened next. He certainly didn't expect for Hinata to tackle hug him to the couch and kiss him. He wasn't going to argue though.

He would have to be pretty stupid to argue with the glorious sight that was Hinata on top of him. Her eyes were shinning with happiness and her midnight blue hair was cascading around her face like an ethereal waterfall. Not to mention, the beautiful view of her enticing curves. Put simply, Sasuke was quite content to stay right where he was.

"Should I take that as a yes?" He asks slyly, after returning her kiss.

"Yes! It's a yes." She tells in a voice that was a little louder than she had intended.

Sasuke didn't mind the slight pain that her cry of joy caused his ears. Not when she said yes. He smiles and runs his fingers through her hair. Damn she was beautiful.

"Should I also take this as a sign that you want to give Seiko a little sister or brother?" The raven haired man asks his lover with a smirk.

He rather enjoyed the way her creamy skin suddenly turned a dark shade of red. It was truly amazing. She still blushed like an innocent every time, he referenced anything remotely sexual in nature. It didn't matter how many times they had been together, apparently that was just part of who she was.

"Sasuke!" She sputters.

"Well of course, I meant after the wedding. I wouldn't expect you to wear your wedding kimono when you were heavily pregnant. That would just be ridiculous and highly impractical. I imagine shopping for one of those things, while you are pregnant is rather difficult." He muses.

"You're impossible!" Hinata mumbles in embarrassment.

"I'm impossibly in love with you, yes." Sasuke tells her and Hinata smiles.

"I love you too. Ino is going to have a field day with this." She giggles.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about Hinata thinking about Ino so shortly after their proposal. That was strange.

"Hinata, I was kind of hoping to be the sole focus on your attention for the rest of the evening. Well unless Seiko needed us. I'm almost afraid to ask, but I will anyway. Why will Ino have a field day with our wedding, specifically?" He inquires warily.

"Well her family owns the flower shop. I'm sure that she'll want to take care of all our floral needs for the wedding." Hinata reasons and Sasuke breathes a sigh of relief.

Oh. Flowers. Hinata was just thinking about the flowers. That was all. He wasn't sure where he thought the whole Ino thing was going, but he was relieved it was something that normal.

Ino was definitely the Queen of Gossip in the Leaf Village. Sadly, gossip was the favorite pass time of most Leaf Villagers. This was the case, even when it came to ninjas. It tended to spread like wildfire.

"Sure. She can handle all the floral stuff. I'm more interested in you than in flowers anyway." Sasuke tells her.

"Alright. I should have figured that you wouldn't be very interested in flowers, unless it was to impress me with them. The roses are beautiful by the way. You and Seiko did a good job with choosing them." She laughs.

"Yes, he does have excellent taste. He's like his mother in that respect." Sasuke says with a smile as he lightly pushes Hinata off of him and then picks her up Bridal Style.

Hinata smiles and snuggles into his chest. She did like it when Sasuke carried her around. That was certainly something that she shared in common with their son. Seiko loved is piggyback rides.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" She laughs.

"I'm practicing carrying you over the threshold. It's tradition. Traditions like that should be respected, don't you think?" He replies as he proceeds to do that.

"Yes, I quite agree." Hinata replies with a smile as Sasuke carries her off to their room and over the threshold.

Maybe things would work out. Somehow the Hyugas and the Uchihas were learn to coexist. After all, she was marrying Sasuke Uchiha. Anything was possible.


	12. Chapter 12

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 12

A few minutes after the proposal, Hinata hears a knock on the door. The bluenette blinks as she gives Sasuke a short kiss and goes to see who it was. It didn't take long for her to regret that decision.

She immediately slams the door shut. That ought to get the message across. Sasuke had just asked Hinata to marry him. She wasn't going to let her father ruin the moment.

"Hinata, is everything alright?" Sasuke asks in concern as he gets up and strides over to his lover's side.

"I don't know. Hopefully. I think a slammed door in his face should tell him that I don't really want to talk. Maybe, he'll do the right thing and leave." She mutters.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. His future wife was a very polite woman. There were very few people that he could only imagine eliciting such a reaction from her. Actually, there was really only one person that would make Hinata do that.

"It's Hiashi, isn't it? You could summon Aoda and turn him into snake food." Sasuke reminds her.

"Sasuke, don't tempt me. Hopefully, he just leaves." She mumbles as she rests her head on his shoulder.

Sasuke sighs and wraps his arms around her protective. He couldn't believe that Hiashi actually had the audacity to show up at their home. What did he think was going to happen?

"Hinata, open the door. I just want to talk!" Hiashi's voice rings out.

The raven haired Uchiha rolls his eyes at that. He just wanted to talk. Yes, the young father was certain that was **all** Hiashi wanted to do. Oh he wanted to talk alright. The Hyuga Patriarch wanted to talk Hinata into leaving him.

"You sure that you don't want to summon Aoda? That or I could fire off a Chidori or two. That might get the message across." Her lover offers.

"Sasuke, behave. You've been doing so well. You don't want to throw that all away because Hiashi upset you." Hinata murmurs.

"I know. He makes it hard not to though. He can't be serious. After everything that he's done, he expects you to actually speak with him? The man is insane." He mutters in disgust.

Hiashi wasn't going to give up though. He was soon pounding on the door. The loud knocking must have woken Seiko up because soon enough aloud wail is heard.

"He's not leaving. Sasuke, will you please check on Seiko? I can handle it." Hinata whispers.

"Are you sure? You don't have to face him alone. You have me." The Uchiha asks.

"I'm sure. That and if he really upsets me, I'll just call out for you. There's nothing to worry about. He's not going to tear our family apart." The bluenette says as she kisses Sasuke's cheek and goes to answer the door.

"That's right. He's not going to tear us apart. I meant it when I gave you that ring. Remember that." The Uchiha tells her.

Hinata nods and Sasuke goes to check on Seiko. There were three things that she was absolutely certain of about her future husband. He loved their son, he was a powerful ninja, and he was an excellent lover.

Hiashi was rather fortunate that Seiko took a higher priority than Chidoring the Hyuga Patriarch in the Uchiha's mind. Otherwise, this might have ended very badly. Hinata sighs as she realizes that it still might and she opens the door.

"Am I going to have to contact the Hokage and inform him that you are trespassing?" She asks.

"Hinata, I know that I have hurt you. I thought that I was doing the right thing. I thought that I was protecting our Clan. You know how important the Byakugan is to our family. It's rare that we allow our Clansmen and Clanswomen to marry outside our Clan. To my knowledge, no Hyuga has ever sired a child with an Uchiha before. You have to understand why I reacted poorly. That's no excuse, but I wanted to explain my reasoning." He says.

The young mother blinks. Her father was apologizing? That was almost unheard of. She didn't know how to react to such an unusual event.

"I understand why you did it. That doesn't change the fact that you abandoned me. I could forgive that, but you also abandoned Seiko. You were punishing him for something that wasn't his fault. We don't get to choose our parents." She replies.

"Yes, I understand that now. I would like to reconcile. I know that such a thing won't happen overnight. I would like to try though. Please, tell me that isn't too late." He whispers.

The bluenette frowns. She certainly hadn't expected this. Suddenly, she found herself wishing that she hadn't sent Sasuke off to comfort Seiko after all.

"After everything that you did, you expect me to just accept your apology and to consider a reconciliation?" Hinata demands.

"I know that I don't deserve it, but we are family. Sometimes we have to overlook each other's faults. I should have been more understanding. It wasn't as though you deliberately set out to seduce him." He offers.

That's when Sasuke comes back with Seiko in his arms. The eldest Uchiha couldn't hide his contempt for the other man. If looks could kill, Hiashi Hyuga would be a dead man.

"I went easy on you during First Blood, but don't push your luck. If you try to steal my family from me again, I will kill you." Sasuke says.

Somehow the fact that Sasuke delivered this threat while he was holding Seiko made it even more terrifying in Hiashi's mind. Why did it have to be Sasuke? For the millionth time, he found himself wishing that it had been Kiba or Shino. Anyone would have been better than Sasuke!

"I'm aware that you could have killed me during First Blood. We both know that wasn't a gesture of mercy on your part. That was a tactical decision. If you killed me, the Leaf wouldn't sit idly by and do nothing. You'd be a hunted man for the rest of your life. You might never see either of them again. You didn't want that. So you cooled your temper. It was a wise decision on your part." The lavender eyed man counters.

Seriously, he would have happily put up with all the insects that Shino's Clan was famous for. He would have put up with the loud dogs of the Inuzuka Clan. Anyone would have been a better match for his daughter than Sasuke Uchiha.

Nature clearly had been mocking him. A blizzard brought threw Hinata into the arms of a cold-blooded killer. It would have been amusing, if it hadn't happened to HIS daughter.

"It's a decision that revisit every single day." Sasuke warns him.

"Sasuke, death threats aren't going to make this better." Hinata whispers as she caresses his cheek.

"I know that they won't change the situation, but they do make me feel better." Sasuke admits as he kisses the palm of her hand.

Hiashi's eyes narrow at the gesture. That's when he saw something shiny out of the corner of his eye. Ignoring his annoyance at Sasuke, he glances around to see what it was.

That's when his blood ran cold. It was a wedding ring. Not just any wedding ring, but Mikoto Uchiha's wedding. A memory flickered across his mind.

 _A fist went flying. A Main House Member had raised their hand at a Branch Member. Hiashi hadn't been there to see the entire incident. He had just happened upon it as it was ending._

 _He wasn't entirely certain what the Branch Member had done to earn such a reaction, but the hit never landed. Someone's hand had stopped the punch from ever landing. Someone who had a rather elegant looking wedding ring._

 _"Is this what the Hyuga Clan is reduced to? It doesn't take much courage to throw a punch, when you know the other person can't hit back." He heard a vaguely familiar voice._

 _When the dust finally cleared, Hiashi discovered why it was familiar. It was Mikoto. She was married to the Head of the Uchiha Clan. He knew of her, but had never actually spoken to her. Apparently, that was about to change._

 _"Stay out of this, woman! This is none of your concern!" The Main House Member snapped at her._

 _"It is my business when you choose to discipline him in the middle of a public street." She countered._

 _"Sunta! Stop it! Do you not realize to whom you are speaking?" Hiashi demanded as he rushed over to prevent a Clan War._

 _Sunta gave Hiashi a look of confusion. Apparently, he didn't recognize the woman when she wasn't wearing her formal robes. It was only to be expected. Mikoto Uchiha was a housewife. She rarely left the District, unless she had to._

 _"Hiashi, what are you talking about?" He asked in a baffled voice._

 _"That's Mikoto Uchiha. If you don't stop this, you might trigger a Clan War." He hissed at him._

 _"He's not worth starting a Clan War over. That's unless the Hyugas actually want to fight someone that they don't have Sealed. Wouldn't that make for an interesting battle? Byakugan vs. Sharingan." She said as she activated her own bloodline trait._

 _Fortunately, Minato happened to be walking by. When the Hokage walked towards you, you immediately stopped whatever you were doing. Hiashi mentally sighed, this was about to get horribly awkward._

 _"Whatever the issue is, I'm certain that we can solve it. Why is Mikoto currently blocking Sunta's punch?" Minato asked cheerfully, as if he didn't realize what he had just walked into._

 _Hiashi knew damn well that the man knew exactly what was going on though. The Fourth Hokage had a way of disarming people with that damn smile of his though. Unfortunately, Hiashi privately acknowledged that the man may have just have prevented a war by his arrival though._

 _"It's nothing. I shall discipline Sunta for making a scene. Good day to you, Lord Hokage. Lady Uchiha." He said with a forced smile._

 _"Somehow, I doubt it's nothing. You're fortunate that it was Mikoto and not Fugaku. You know what his temper is like, especially when he thinks someone is threatening his wife." The Fourth Hokage said in a voice that was just a little too happy to be believable._

 _"Oh believe me, I know what he's like." Hiashi muttered in distaste._

 _Perhaps it was only natural, but he had never much cared for Fugaku Uchiha. They were the leaders of "Rival Clans." Social conditioning had taught them to rival each other. Perhaps they were simply both too much alike to ever get along._

 _Whatever the reason, they were like oil and water. The less time Hiashi Hyuga and Fugaku Uchiha spent with each other, the better. Apparently, he was going to have to apply that same logic with Mikoto Uchiha. Well at least she'd always be easily identifiable. That damn ring of hers was too distinctive, not to recognize._

"You proposed to her." Hiashi says simply.

There was no question in his voice. The man said it with absolute certainty. Sasuke raises an eyebrow at Hiashi's observation. How did he know?

"Yes, I did and she accepted. How did you know though? I didn't realize that the Byakugan gave people mind reading powers." He muses.

"The ring on her hand. It belonged to your mother." He answers.

Sasuke blinks. How did Hiashi recognize his mother's wedding ring? Were they actually friends once upon a time? Maybe they had been assigned a mission together or something before she retired from active combat duty and became a housewife?

"How on Earth do you know what my mother's wedding ring looks like?" He demands.

"It doesn't matter. I recognize it. Hinata, I do hope you will reconsider your decision. I hope that you won't actually go through with marrying this man. If you do, my offer is still on the table. I should very much like to reconcile with you." Hiashi says.

Hinata stares at her father in shock. She couldn't believe what he was saying. Hiashi still wanted to reconcile with her, even after he knew that she was going to marry Sasuke.

"I'm glad that you feel that way. I am not going to change my mind about this wedding. Father, I love him. I hope that you will eventually accept that. I'll have to think about your offer of reconciliation. I don't know, if I can ever fully forgive you. You've wounded me many times. My wounds are still fresh and I'm not certain that they will ever completely heal." She whispers.

"I am sorry that I have caused you such pain. I only did it for the good of our Clan. I can see that I was wrong now. You are a grown woman and can make your own decisions, even if I do not agree with them." He replies.

Sasuke glares at Hiashi. Oh it was tempting. It was so tempting just to turn him into snake food. He wouldn't do it though.

If something happened to Hiashi Hyuga, he would likely be the first suspect. Sasuke wouldn't risk his family for a few moments (or days) of pleasure. No matter how tempting it was to kill him, the raven haired Uchiha knew better.

"Good. Well your knocking woke Seiko up. It's time for his nap. I shall speak with you on the matter more, later." The bluenette says.

Hiashi nods in agreement. He sighs as he glances at Seiko and then heads off. It was progress. Hinata had agreed to at least speak with him again. That was better than getting the door slammed in his face again.

"I wouldn't have agreed to speak with him, personally." Sasuke mutters.

"I know, but he's my father. If there is a chance that we can repair our relationship, I have to take it. That and I can always have you Chidori him, if it doesn't work out." Hinata says with a sweet smile.

Sasuke smirks. That was his tigress. They were definitely rubbing off on each other.

"Whenever you want me to Chidori him, just say the word and I will." Sasuke assures her.

"We really do have to work on your temper." She says and Sasuke just shrugs in response.

Meanwhile Hiashi was livid. He couldn't believe that that bastard had actually proposed to her. What sort of foolishness had overcome his daughter?

Yes, they had been living together. That could easily be overlooked though. They had a child together. It was only natural that Sasuke would want to be closer to his son. He could overlook them living together, but marriage?!

"Hiashi, you look like a man in deep need of a drink." He hears a familiar voice call out to him.

The Hyuga Patriarch sighs. It was Kakashi. As much as he wanted to go home and take out his fury on some training posts, he knew that he couldn't really refuse an invitation from the Hokage.

"Yes, I suppose that one could say that. Though I am surprised you are asking me to join you and not Kurenai." He states.

Hiashi Hyuga was the leader of one of the largest Clans in the Leaf. It paid to pay attention to local gossip. While he detested the practice, he knew that paying attention to idle tongues wagging was always an intelligent decision.

"Somehow, I doubt that my relationship with Kurenai interests you all that much. Come, I have some rather fine Sake in my office. I think that you will quite enjoy it.

"That sounds like a fine idea to me." He agrees and heads off with the silver haired ninja.

It didn't take long for them to reach Kakashi's office and for the Hokage to find that sake. He smiles as he pours them each a glass. Hopefully, the other man would open up to him.

"Now tell me, what is distressing you so much." The CopyCat Ninja instructs Hiashi.

"Is that an order from my Hokage or a personal request?" The lavender eyed man inquires.

"Well I suppose you could think of it as a little of both. I'd rather not have to abuse my authority in such a way, but I will. If I must, I will." Kakashi informs him.

Hiashi sighs. That was what he was afraid of. Oh well. He supposed that the other man was going to find out sooner or later. Most likely, it would be the talk of the village by morning.

"I went to Hinata's new home. It was my hopes that perhaps we could repair our relationship. I would like for us to act as father and daughter again. I miss her terribly." He admits.

"That's good. I was hoping that eventually the two of you would work things out. Then what happened?" He prods gently.

"I found out that Sasuke had proposed to Hinata. I can't believe that she agreed to marry that demon. She must have taken complete leave of her senses." He mutters.

Kakashi felt himself twitch. He understood Hiashi's frustrations. Despite that, he still couldn't suppress his annoyance. Sasuke had been his student after all. In a way, Hiashi was attacking him.

"The two of them have been living together for months. They even work at the Academy together. As far as I can tell, their relationship has been going rather well. It's a bit early for a proposal, but they already have a son. It's not exactly unexpected." Kakashi reasons.

Hiashi sighs. The Hokage was correct. To a certain extent, it was almost expected. That didn't make it any easier of a pill to swallow though.

"I suppose that is right. Well she said that she would think about it. I may be able to get my daughter back and the chance to get to know my grandson." The Hyuga man says.

"That would be very nice. I hope that both of those things come to pass." The Hokage says and Hiashi nods in agreement.

The next day, Sasuke and Hinata went out with Seiko on a shopping trip. Sasuke normally hated shopping, but they were planning their wedding. So he didn't mind today.

That and Seiko seemed quite content to just be pushed along in his stroller. Sasuke smiles at his son's wide eyed expression of wonderment at everything. He wished that he could be as easily impressed as Seiko was by well everything.

"Well I suppose we might as well go and look at the flowers first. Like you said, Ino is going to be doing backflips." He mutters in amusement.

"Mhm. That's a good idea." Hinata says as she walks alongside Sasuke and Seiko's stroller.

She smiles when she feels the reassuring warmth and weight of Sasuke's arm wrapped around her waist. At this point, everyone in the village knew that they were together. There was no reason to hide their relationship.

"I love you." She whispers.

"I love you too. Your father isn't going to change that." He whispers back as they make their way into the flower shop.

It didn't take Ino long to make a beeline towards them. She smiles when she saw the stroller. Sasuke couldn't help but feel a little proud that apparently his son was irresistible and everyone else knew this as well. (Once they got over their initial terror that Sasuke had sired a child in the first place, anyway.)

"Awe! He's so cute! He's getting so big too!" Ino says.

"Yes, he is. Ino, we want to buy some flowers. A lot of flowers." Hinata says with a smile.

"Yeah! Sure! No problem! Wait. What's that on your hand?" Ino asks as she grabs Hinata's hand and looks at it.

Sasuke braces himself. He knew what was coming. He could see it from a mile away. Women could be quite obsessive about weddings.

"OH GOD! HE PROPOSED TO YOU! THAT'S WHY YOU WANT THE FLOWERS, ISN'T IT?!" She asks excitedly.

Seiko starts wailing. He didn't like loud noises. Blue eyes was very loud. It hurt his ears.

"Believe me, I know the feeling. It's alright, Seiko." Sasuke says as he scoops up his son and rocks him soothingly.

Seiko sniffles and cuddles into his daddy's chest. Maybe he'd make the loud noises go away. He definitely didn't like them.

"Oh! Damn! I'm sorry! I guess I got a little carried away there for a minute. Still that's amazing news!" Ino says and Hinata nods in agreement as she kisses Seiko's head comfortingly.

"Yes, it is. We aren't really sure what kind of flowers we want for the wedding though. Roses are a traditional choice, but maybe we should choose something else? Something to be unique?" Hinata asks.

Sasuke playfully rolls his eyes. He would never understand why women were so obsessed with things like flowers. Honestly. They were nice to look at, but that was about it.

He had no problem indulging Hinata with her wedding planning though. It was important to her. So it was important to him.

"Women can be strange sometimes. It's best to humor them though." He whispers to his son.

Seiko giggles and coos. He didn't know what daddy was talking about, but he was making a silly face. Seiko liked Sasuke's silly faces.

"We heard that!" Ino protests.

"You were meant to." Sasuke says with a smirk as he returns his attention back to his son.

Maybe after the wedding, they would try to give Seiko a little brother or sister. Sasuke was hopeful that their second child would be a girl. Unfortunately, Uchiha brothers didn't tend to have the best luck when it came to their relationships.

Sasuke sighs and mentally winces as he remembers Itachi. There was so many regrets that he had when it came to his elder brother. It was too late now. He was gone.

"Hinata, are you sure that you want to put up with him? I mean he's really cute and everything, but he can be a real jerk sometimes!" Ino grumbles.

"He's just teasing you. So what do you think about the flowers?" Hinata asks with a giggle.

Sasuke rolls his eyes at Ino's response. He might be a jerk, but she had been one of his worst fan girls. He was soooo happy to see that the woman had apparently outgrown that phase.

"When you get bigger, I'm going to show you all the best hiding spots. Also be very protective of your toothbrush." Sasuke tells Seiko and he smiles when his son giggles in response.

Maybe Seiko actually did understand what he was saying. The elder Uchiha supposed anything was possible really. He was in a flower shop for Godsakes. Yes, anything was possible.

He glances over at Hinata and smiles when he sees her bent over, examining some yellow roses. He could put up with being in a stupid flower shop if it was for her. There was very little that he wouldn't do for his kitten. (Hell, thus far he had managed not to kill her bastard of a father. Now THAT was love!)


	13. Chapter 13

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I'm sorry that this one is "late." I was having some trouble deciding which direction I wanted to take this story. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** This takes place a month after the last one. Apparently, babies can start solid food around 4-6 months. So Seiko gets to have his cake. This is a fairly light/fluffy chapter, but drama will be reappearing soon.

Chapter 13

Seiko watches his father and several other big people frantically getting ready for something. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he was dressed up today. Everyone seemed really excited and happy, except for one person.

He looked like Long Hair, but grumpier. Seiko still wasn't sure who that man was. He never picked him up though. That was weird. Everyone else loved picking him up and cuddling with him.

"Hiashi, I'm warning you. Don't even try it. If you do anything to ruin our wedding, I will kill you. Slowly and painfully." Sasuke warns him as he adjusts his midnight blue wedding kimono.

For some reason, daddy and Grumpy really didn't like each other. Daddy was always glaring at Grumpy. Seiko didn't understand why they hated each other so much, but he had decided that the older Long Hair wasn't a threat to him. If he was, Daddy and Mommy wouldn't have let Grumpy near him.

"I wish that you would cease these death threats. We both know that you aren't actually going to carry them out." Hiashi says.

"Oh really? Try me." Sasuke says as he picks up Seiko and rocks him.

Seiko smiles and coos. He liked when daddy picked him up. It was fun. Maybe daddy would ignore Grumpy now.

"Gentleman, today is a special day. Let's not fight. Shall we get going? Is everyone ready?" Kakashi asks.

"I'm ready." Sasuke says and he glares at Hiashi as if daring him to say something.

Hiashi sighs. Things were not going as he planned. Hinata was still wary of him, but allowed him to visit with Seiko. He had hoped that he could talk some sense into her. Unfortunately, that hadn't happened yet and they were only an hour at most away from her officially marrying the demon.

"Ready! I still say you should have had an official bachelor party, bastard!" Naruto says.

"I have Hinata. I didn't need a stupid party. If you and the others want an easy excuse to look at mostly naked women, find another one." Sasuke says as he rolls his eyes.

Well at least that was something, Hiashi muses. Sasuke was apparently faithful. It seemed that he wouldn't even look at other women. For goodness sakes, even had had a bachelor party. Well he had done so mostly to humor his Clansmen, but Hiashi knew that it still counted.

There were some grumbles from the other men as they set off. Naruto wasn't the only one who was upset by the lack of a party, it seemed. Hiashi just rolls his eyes. Boys would be boys, it seemed.

"I can't believe that you actually wanted to have the wedding here." Hiashi mutters to Sasuke.

"Considering everything that you've done, you owe it to us. Besides, it'll be good for Seiko to see the Hyuga Gardens. They are beautiful, even if most of you are cold fish." Sasuke mutters as they make their way to the alter.

The gardens were beautiful and in full bloom. Sasuke had never seen so many different colored flowers in all of his life before. There were stunning statues, water fountains, and even a few fish ponds here and there.

To Sasuke, the Hyuga Estate was a prison. He couldn't deny that it was a gorgeous prison though. Frankly, Hiashi had probably indirectly done Hinata a favor when he disowned her. Hinata was free now.

"Fiiis fisssh!" Seiko says happily as he toddles by his father's side.

The little boy was clinging tightly to Sasuke's leg in case he lost his balance. Sasuke smiles down at Seiko. He was trying to walk more and more. He fell over about half the time that he tried to walk, but he was trying and getting better at it.

"Yes, fish. Fish." Sasuke agrees and Seiko giggles.

The skies were blue and the birds were chirping. Hundreds of white seats with golden cushions and trimmings were laid out. Sasuke saw several tables filled with delicious looking foods around the perimeter of the gardens. There was also classical music being played in the background by snakes and toads. Yes, Sasuke's Summons and Naruto's Summons had decided to take part in the wedding.

Sasuke wasn't sure when they acquired the ability to play classical instruments. He had decided to file that firmly under the _**I Don't Want to Know Category.**_ Sometimes, it was just better not to ask too many questions.

"It is a beautiful day." Neji muses as he walks beside Seiko and Sasuke.

Sasuke nods his head in agreement. He wasn't sure if he would call Neji his friend, but he knew that he liked him a Hell of a lot better than Hiashi. That was a start, he supposed.

The alter was made of pure silver and had white roses woven into it. It was quite stunning. Kakashi took his place in the center of it, along with Sasuke. The other groomsmen was standing a few feet away, just outside it.

"Kakashi, are you sure that you have the legal authority to preside over this ceremony?" Sasuke whispers.

"Of course, I do. I'm Hokage. Don't worry about anything. I'll make sure to give you a grand sendoff." The silver haired ninja replies.

Sasuke mentally groans. God only knows what the CopyCat Ninja was really planning. Maybe he should have asked a priest.

"Kakashi, I swear if you do anything stupid, I will Chidori you where no man wants to be Chidoried!" Sasuke warns him.

Unfortunately, Sasuke didn't think most of them would have said yes. They were still too scared of him. So he was forced to go with Kakashi.

There were several advantages and disadvantages to this arrangement. On the plus side, Kakashi wasn't scared of him. On the downside, Kakashi wasn't scared of him. Damn it.

"Temper, temper. You'll feel better once you are on your Honeymoon. He comes the flower girl! Well I suppose I should say the flower bird." The Hokage notes in amusement.

True to form, Garuda was streaking across the sky. He had a rather large basket filled with flowers, attached to his talons. The hawk was flying over the wedding, at a leisurely pace. Occasionally, he would do dives and other maneuvers.

The overall effect was quite glorious to behold. The flowers were falling everywhere. It was practically raining flowers as the Summon made his way closer to the alter.

"He is such a show off." Gamabunta growls in annoyance.

"Garuda is merely having fun. How often do humans really allow our kind to participate in weddings?" Aoda asks.

Gamabunta rolls his eyes. He didn't particularly care for the snake. He was far too easy to please his "Master," in the Great Toad's mind. Pathetic. Humans weren't their Masters!

"I suppose. Whatever, you are out of tune." He says.

"What?! I am playing every note perfectly!" Aoda protests, but soon falls silent when Hinata is escorted down the aisle by Kurenai.

It hurt Hiashi that Hinata didn't want him to be the one to give her away. It was probably just as well though. He wasn't entirely certain that he would have been able to do it.

He felt as though he was walking to his own execution. How could his sweet, innocent daughter be marrying Sasuke Uchiha?! It was blasphemy! That's what it was!

"She's beautiful!" Someone says in the audience and there were choruses of agreement.

Sasuke smiles as he watches Hinata make her way down the aisle. He certainly couldn't argue with that. Her midnight blue hair reached to the middle of her back like a silken waterfall and contrasted beautifully against the snowy white fabric of her satin wedding kimono.

The kimono had a red sash and elegant floral designs sewn into it. The designs were made out of pearls and diamonds. They shimmered whenever the sun hit them. He hadn't been lying when he said he didn't need a bachelor party. What other woman could possibly compete with that?

"You better not mess this up, Uchiha." Kiba warns him.

"Seiko, can you say dumb doggie?" Sasuke asks his son.

Seiko tilts his head. He wasn't exactly sure what that meant. His father clearly wanted him to try to say something though. He knew that tone of voice.

"Duuumb doogggiee?" Seiko asks.

"Good job. That was very good. " Sasuke says with a smile as he kisses his son's forehead.

"Oh haha. Very cute, Uchiha." Kiba grumbles.

Shino shakes his head in amusement. While he had been rather skeptical of Sasuke and he still was to a certain degree, he couldn't deny that it was obvious that Sasuke did love Seiko. God help them all, if anything ever happened to that kid.

"You look beautiful." Sasuke says to Hinata as he takes her hands, once she reaches the alter.

"So do you." She says with a smile, causing several of the groomsmen and bridesmaids within earshot to snicker and giggle.

Aoda glances at Gamabunta. They had plans for this in place. It was obvious that the Hyuga Elders might raise objections. Therefore, they had come up with a plan to deal with such objections. Hopefully, it wouldn't be necessary. They were ready though.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuga. If anyone has any objections to this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace." The Hokage says cautiously.

Immediately, it looked like several elders were going to raise objections. The frogs and snake summons quickly took care of that though. They covered their mouths with their hands or wrapped their bodies around them. They simply weren't going to allow them to ruin the wedding.

"Well it seems as if no one has any objections." Kakashi muses, deciding to ignore the fact that several Hyuga Elders were now gagged by snakes or being hushed by toads.

"Do you, Sasuke Uchiha take Hinata Hyuga to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish her for all your days? In good times and in bad? In sickness and in health? For richer or poorer and to forsake all others until death do you part?" The Masked Ninja inquires.

Sasuke smiles. He couldn't believe that Hinata had actually said yes and that they had Seiko. It was also something of a miracle that the Hyuga Elders and Hiashi hadn't objected. He was going to have to thank the Summons later for that.

"I do. Always." Sasuke whispers.

Kakashi smiles. It was good to see that Sasuke had finally achieved some sense of peace. He had what he had always wanted now. A family. Hopefully, Hiashi wouldn't say something to ruin the wedding.

""Do you, Hinata Hyuga take Sasuke Uchiha to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish her for all your days? In good times and in bad? In sickness and in health? For richer or poorer and to forsake all others until death do you part?" The silver haired ninja continues.

"I do." Hinata says with a sweet smile.

"Then by the power vested in me by the Leaf Village and the Fire Nation, I pronounce thee man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Kakashi says happily.

Sasuke didn't waste any time. Maybe it was slightly sadistic, but he couldn't help but kiss Hinata far more passionately than would be expected at a wedding.

Hinata blushes she wraps her arms around his neck and returns the kiss. She could feel his arms wrapped around her securely and Sasuke was definitely trying to seduce her with his tongue now. She never expected him to kiss her like THAT with everyone watching.

"Fiiiiish fiishhhh face!" Seiko giggles.

The motions that mommy and daddy were making with their mouths, reminded him of fishes! Fishes made weird motions with their mouths and sucked on the side of tanks. Fish faces!

"Well I see that Clan Restoration isn't going to be an issue. It looks like Seiko is going to be a big brother in short order at this rate." Kakashi muses with a chuckle and Sasuke subtly makes a rather rude gesture with his hand at Kakashi.

The Hokage shakes his head in amusement. Well he probably deserved that one. Still it was a happy occasion for everyone, but the leaders of the Hyuga Clan. It looked like the Summons had finally decided it was safe to release the elders because they were no longer gagged.

Hiashi internally seethes. The Uchiha was clearly mocking him. Why else would he kiss her in such an outrageous fashion? Did the man not have any dignity?!

"You should probably throw the bouquet." Sasuke says, after breaking the kiss.

"Alright." Hinata agrees as she looks for a suitable spot to throw her flowers.

The women in the audience immediately assumed the position. The men and Summons all braced themselves when they saw that. They all knew what was coming. This was going to get vicious.

"Is everyone ready? I'm going to throw the bouquet now." Hinata asks.

"WE'RE READY!" They all say in unison and Hinata rubs the back of her head sheepishly.

The bluenette idly muses that they sure took this bouquet business seriously. She was actually getting a little worried that this might get out of hand soon. She shakes her head and throws the flowers high into the air.

"Human females are vicious." Gamabunta says once the battle for the flowers as on.

"You are right about that much. I'm glad that our females are much more reasonable." Aoda whispers and Garuda nods in agreement.

After the smoke finally cleared, it was Kurenai who caught the bouquet. There were several shouts of congratulations and the Genjutsu Mistress blinks. She looked rather shocked that she had caught it.

"Well thank you, Hinata. They're lovely." She says with a confused smile.

"You're welcome, Kurenai Sensei." The bride replies merrily.

"Alright. I guess it's time for me to throw the garter belt. Hinata, you might want to sit down." Sasuke says as he gestures to a chair for his new wife to sit in.

Hinata nods and quickly sits down. She blushes when Sasuke slowly removes the garter belt. Thankfully, it was over quickly and he tosses it.

The young mother shakes her head in amusement, when she realizes what Sasuke was up to. He had thrown it the "wrong" way. He threw it backwards and aimed it directly at Kakashi's head.

Sasuke smirks. That would serve the pervert right. He might as well have some fun, if he was going to put up with all the Hyuga Death Glares at his wedding.

"Sasuke, that was cheating." Kakashi says.

"It was not. It must have been the wind. Hinata, would you like to cut the cake?" Sasuke asks as he holds his hand out to his wife.

"Yes, it must have been the wind. I'd like that." Hinata says as she walks off with Sasuke towards one of the cakes.

There were probably a dozen or so in total. There had to be. There were hundreds of Hyuga Clan members alone. That wasn't counting the Rookie Nine Ninjas, Neji's team, and their students.

Sasuke smiles as he watches Hinata cut the cake. It was worth it. He could put up with her damn Clan, if it meant that he was married to her. Seiko toddles over to them and watches curiously.

"Do you think he's old enough for cake?" Sasuke asks Hinata.

"I think so. Just a little bit though. That frosting is pretty rich and I don't want him to get sick." She says.

Sasuke nods and smiles as he gives Seiko a tiny piece of cake. The youngest Uchiha looks at in confusion. Sasuke places it by his lips. Apparently, that was all the further instruction that the infant needed. He begins eating.

"That's a good boy." Sasuke says and Seiko continues eating.

This was new. Hmm. He liked whatever this was. Seiko continues eating, much to his parents' amusement.

"Good thing that I only gave him one slice. He'd probably gorge himself otherwise. Aoda, can you watch Seiko while we dance?" Sasuke asks.

"Of course, Master Sasuke. You know how much adore the hatchling." The giant serpent says as he slithers over to Seiko.

Sasuke smiles and leads Hinata to the dance floor. It didn't take long for him to wrap his arms around her waist and for the couple to begin swaying to the music. It was easy to pretend the other Hyugas didn't exist, when he was dancing with his wife.

"Seriously, don't say anything." Naruto tells Hiashi and the elders as he leads Sakura to the dance floor.

They were teammates, after all. It was expected that they would dance together. That and he couldn't let the bastard show him up like that!

The elders glower at the dancing "couples." All of them were livid. There was no way in their minds that this could end in any way, other than disaster.

"Hiashi, I thought you said that you could convince her to leave him!" One hisses under his breath.

"I tried my best. They're legally bound now though. We failed." He says with a sigh.

The elders weren't so sure about that. One in particular looks at Seiko. Sasuke was a lost cause. He was an adult. A child though, well that was another matter. A child could be molded.

"I suppose that there is nothing for it." The elder mutters.

He wouldn't let Hiashi know what he was planning. The man was blinded by his love for his daughter. That was the problem. He would never condone what he was about to do. That was fine. What Hiashi didn't know, wouldn't hurt him.

The elder did regret that this was going to hurt Hinata, but that couldn't be avoided. Sasuke simply couldn't be trusted. Sure, he looked like the picture of domestic bliss now. He knew the truth though. Sooner or later, the Curse of Hatred would work its magic.

"Unfortunately, that does seem to be the case." Hiashi agrees reluctantly.

Seiko was just as much Hyuga as he was Uchiha though. Maybe his Hyuga side would be dominant. He could potentially be a fine Hyuga Clansmen. They just had to train him and guide him along the right path. Once Sasuke was out of the way, Hinata would likely want to rejoin her family. It was a good plan. How did one kill a demon though, he ponders to himself.

Sasuke smiles as he twirls Hinata around. Seiko watches curiously and manages to stumble his way over to his parents. He could do that too!

Well maybe. Actually, he wasn't really sure. He was going to try though. He smiles and reaches for his parents when he finally wiggles over.

"I think Seiko wants to dance too." Hinata says with a smile as she picks him up and sways with Sasuke while holding the toddler.

"He keeps trying. You have to give him that much." Sasuke agrees as he kisses Hinata's forehead and smiles down at Seiko.

Meanwhile Kakashi sighs as he looks at the garter belt. He couldn't believe that Sasuke had pulled something like that. On second thought, he could. Still it was rather awkward.

"Well Kurenai, would you like to dance with me? It does seem rather traditional for the woman who caught the bouquet to dance with the man who caught the garter belt." He asks.

"Alright." She says with a smile as she allows him to lead her to the dance floor and Hiashi just shakes his head.

Honestly, you would think that they were all a bunch of overgrown Genin. Did no one else besides him and the elders see what was wrong with this picture? There was no way that this was going to end in anything other than tears.

It was hard to know that no matter what happened, he was going to end up hurting Hinata and his grandson. Really, it was quite amazing. Seiko was absolutely adorable. It almost didn't seem to matter that Sasuke was his father.

"It will all work out in the end." The elder assures him.

"I know it will. We have the Will of Fire to guide us." The Hyuga Patriarch says.

Speaking of Hyugas, there were plenty of curious Hyugas were more than eager to catch a glimpse of "the hybrid." That was what they were calling the youngest member of the Uchiha Clan.

"I think the Byakugan might be recessive." Hanabi says to one of them.

"What makes you say that?" Another asks.

"Seiko's eyes are black. The Byakugan is lavender." The new Hyuga Heiress says.

The others appear to be considering this and sigh. It was clear that they were inclined to agree with Hanabi's reasoning. Hiashi certainly hoped that his youngest daughter wasn't right.

Truly, that would be humiliating. If the Byakugan was recessive, that implied that the Sharingan was stronger. He imagined that Mikoto Uchiha would be laughing from the afterlife, if that turned out to be the case.

"Can't be. It's not recessive. He's just a child. It'll manifest itself later on." Hiashi Hyuga mutters to himself as he nurses his glass of sake.

Yes, that was it. Seiko would one day wield the Byakugan. He was probably just a late bloomer. That and the Sharingan tended to take awhile to manifest. Usually, it had to be triggered by a traumatic event. The boy was only about a year old. He had time. There was still time.

"You're lucky that this is a wedding." Shino and Kiba say as they sneak up on the Hyuga Patriarch.

"Are you actually threatening me?" He asks incredulously.

"Yeah. We kinda are. You and your family put Hinata through a lot of unnecessary pain. Yeah. Her taste in men might be questionable, but she's a good woman and Seiko is a good kid." Kiba says firmly.

Hiashi mentally groans. Hopefully, it was just strutting. He didn't want to think about what a Clan War between the three Clans would look like.

"I know that is true. I am attempting to reconcile with them." He says.

"Why don't I believe that? Just give us a reason, Hiashi. I can ensure that you'll regret your actions." Shino warns him.

Suddenly, Hiashi imagined fire ants sneaking into his bed late at night and under his kimono. He shudders in revulsion. Shino's Clan had always made him uneasy. Insects were such unsightly creatures.

"I won't give you any cause to attack me. That much I can promise you." He says.

"Good. It looks like Sasuke, Hinata, and Seiko are heading off to their Honeymoon." Kiba observes as the family gets on top Aoda.

Hiashi blinks. Oh they were out of their minds. That was the only logical explanation. There was no way that his grandson was going to ride on that snake!

"HINATA! SASUKE!" He calls out desperately, but it was too late.

The massive serpent had already begun slithering off. Aoda was surprisingly swift for a snake of that size. The young family was soon out of his line of vision, even with his Byakugan.

"I'm going to need more sake." He mutters as he stares off into the distance.


	14. Chapter 14

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy the Honeymoon Chapter.

Clone Sasuke's words will be in **bold.**

Chapter 14

"Sasuke, do you really think it was a good idea to take Seiko with us on our Honeymoon?" Hinata asks as they arrive at their destination and get off Aoda, a few hours later.

Sasuke smiles as he gives Seiko a ride on his back. Seiko certainly loved being carried and picked up. Idly, the eldest Uchiha notes that his son was a surprisingly social creature.

That was until he heard Hinata question. Sasuke couldn't help frown as he considers a reply. He didn't want to alarm his wife, but Sasuke couldn't lie to her.

"We can always have clones and Aoda watch him. I didn't want to leave him alone in that village. Not with your Clan lurking around." He admits.

"Sasuke! You don't actually think that they would hurt him, do you?!" She asks in horror.

Sasuke shakes his head. He doubted that they would go that far. He knew the Hyugas though. They would go to extremes, but find a way to make it socially acceptable.

"Hinata, I love you. I can't say the same for most of your family. Well except for Seiko, Hanabi, and Neji. We are talking about the Clan that enslaves half of its members based solely on when they were born and who their parents are. I think there are few things that they aren't capable of." Sasuke mutters.

"Father was at our wedding though." She says.

"So were the Elders. I don't think they support our marriage either. It's alright though. We'll keep each other and Seiko safe. That's all that really matters." Sasuke tells her as he kisses her forehead and leads her inside the Inn that they were staying at.

It was beautiful, Hinata thinks to herself. A baby blue one story building with a glorious rose garden out in the front and hot springs in the back. Despite only being one story, it was large because it was long. The windows were made of colorful glass, which looked enchanting when the sunlight struck them the right way.

"Preee-tttt-eee." Seiko says as he stares wide eyed at the windows.

"Yes, pretty. Very good, Seiko. I felt the same way the first time I saw your mother in that cave." Sasuke says with a smirk and Hinata's face burns bright red.

"Mommyyy prree-ttt-ee." Seiko says proudly, obviously rather pleased with his own cleverness.

Sasuke nods in agreement and the small family walk inside the Inn. Hinata walks a few steps ahead of them. The eldest Uchiha had suggested earlier that people might be a little less frightened, if the new Uchiha Matriarch went first.

His reputation was recovering, but many people were still frightened of him. That was fine. The only people that Sasuke cared about were Hinata, Seiko, Naruto, and Hinata's friends. Everyone else was just background noise to him. Easily ignored.

"Hello. I'm Hinata. My husband and I booked two rooms here recently. Are they ready?" She asks sweetly.

He still wasn't entirely sure how he had ended up with such a gentle woman for his wife. In the back of his mind, an old saying popped into his head. Opposites attract. Maybe that was all there was to it.

"Oh yes. Of course. Rooms 327 and 328." The receptionist says as she hands Hinata the keys.

"Thank you." Hinata says as she gestures for Sasuke and Seiko to follow her.

Sasuke does so. Seiko might have been on his back and enjoying his piggyback ride, but the receptionist suddenly looked rather frightened. Sasuke tries his best not to roll his eyes as he follows Hinata. Who could be upset when such a lovely view was being presented to them?

"Why don't you get out of your wedding kimono and change into something more suitable for the hot springs. I'll put Seiko to bed and make a few clones to watch him." Sasuke offers, once they reach their rooms.

"Alright. Goodnight, Seiko." Hinata says she kisses his forehead affectionately and then darts off into their room.

"You be a good boy for the clones." Sasuke instructs Seiko as he takes the other Uchiha into the other room.

Seiko looks up at his daddy in confusion. Oh there were now four daddies. He didn't know the difference between a clone and the real Sasuke, but he was starting to get used to this. He coos at all his fathers.

"Don't worry. We'll take good care of him." One of the clones assures Sasuke.

"Good. If anything goes wrong, you know where to find us. One of you is to get him to safety immediately. The other is to distract the threat and the third will warn us." He says simply and heads out the door.

Meanwhile Hinata had already wrapped a towel around herself and was sitting comfortable in the hot springs. The warm water felt so good against her skin after a long night of dancing and riding on Aoda. It was blissful really.

She smiles when she sees Sasuke approaching. He must have put Seiko to bed already. The bluenette gestures for her husband to join her.

"I really think that you are developing a water fetish." She notes with a giggle.

"A water fetish?" Sasuke asks with a raised eyebrow as he quickly joins her in the hot springs.

Sasuke had draped a towel around his lower half. The fact that he was shirtless though was rather distracting. His body still fascinated her. It reminded Hinata of some ancient statues she had seen, hard and perfectly sculpted. The fact that it was ivory pale only added to the effect in her mind.

"Mhm. First the shower and now the hot springs. You have a water fetish." Hinata clarifies.

Sasuke smirks as he kisses her. Only Hinata. Well he was glad that she was now comfortable enough with him to engage in a little banter. It was still rather innocent though.

Hinata smiles and kisses back. She feels herself moan when her husband deepened the kiss and wraps his arms around her waist, pulling Hinata even closer. Sasuke was a natural seducer, particularly when it involved his tongue.

"Maybe I do have a slight water fetish. What can I say? I love getting you wet." He teases her.

The raven haired ninja was rather delighted with how quickly her skin went from a creamy white color to a fiery red one. Hinata's blushes were legendary at this point. The woman could blush in places that he didn't think it was possible to blush in.

"Sasuke!" She stammers and Sasuke smirks.

"I can't believe you're still so shy. After EVERYTHING that we've done together, a naughty joke still shocks you." He muses as he caresses her cheek.

Hinata grumbles about him teasing her. Sasuke just shakes his head. He probably shouldn't done that, but riling her up was just irresistible.

"You're right. That was mean. Let me make it up to you." He purrs seductively into her ear.

Hinata shivers and nods. She had a pretty good idea what Sasuke had in mind when he said that he'd make it up to her. Well at least she thought she was. That was until she saw him make a clone.

"Sasuke?" She asks uncertainly.

"I thought that since it's our Honeymoon that we could try something new. If you aren't comfortable with it, I'll stop." Sasuke assures her as the clone kisses her neck.

Hinata sighs softly in pleasure and tilts her head to the side, exposing more of her neck to him. She wasn't entirely certain how much Sasuke was really planning on using the clone, but that felt nice. That and the sight of two semi naked Sasuke's as a rather glorious one. Maybe she shouldn't complain.

"Al-right. I guess it's alright to try." She murmurs.

"Such a brave kitten." Sasuke murmurs approvingly as he kisses her.

The blushing bride returns his kiss and sighs in pleasure when the clone caresses her breasts. She might still have her towel on, but Hinata could still feel her surprisingly gentle touch. That's when she realizes something.

"What if someone comes to the hot springs and sees us?" She asks.

 **"It's late. I doubt they will, but if they do we already placed a Genjutsu here. They won't see anything, but a second rose garden."** Sasuke tells her smugly and the other original nods in agreement.

"What if they hear us though?" Hinata inquires.

 **Warning Honeymoon Lemon**

Sasuke shakes his head and slides his hand underneath the water and between her thighs. He cups her womanhood and rubs teasingly. Hinata had always been a rather shy kitten at the beginning of their lovemaking. That tended to end quickly, once you petted her in just the right way though.

"We cast a Soundproofing Jutsu as well. I know that it may be hard to remember sometimes, but I am technically a genius. I do plan these things out." Sasuke assures her.

"Nhhh. Yo-u planned this?" Hinata asks as she arches into his touch.

His touch was always irresistible. She still had no idea why it felt so much better when he touched her intimately than when she did it herself. It just did. Privately, she admits that even without the useful Jutsus, Sasuke probably could have seduced her into having sex in the hot springs anyway.

 **"We've actually been planning this for awhile."** The clone admits as he slowly slides her towel off and glides his hands over the curve of her hips and contours of her legs suggestively.

She shivers both at the touch and at the promise in his voice. God only knows what sort of things he had been planning and for how long. Sasuke could be surprisingly creative, when he wanted to be.

"Ever since I proposed to you actually." Sasuke informs her.

"Ohhh." Hinata says as she moans when the Sasuke suddenly takes a nipple into his hot mouth.

She shivers and arches against him. While she was distracted, the clone decides to mount a sneak attack. He rubs her clit and lightly bites down on her neck.

 **"Such a sensitive Kitten."** He muses.

Sasuke nods in agreement as he licks and sucks on her breasts lightly. Hinata moans wantonly in response and slides his towel off. The bluenette decides to retaliate by stroking him.

"You weren't kidding when you said that you've been thinking about this for awhile. You're already so hard." She teases him as she kisses the original Sasuke.

 **"Do you know how hard it was to keep our composure when we were riding here on Aoda and all I could think about was this?"** Sasuke asks her as the other two continue their heated kisses.

Sasuke groans in pleasure. Her kiss and seductive touches felt incredible. He still couldn't believe that she had actually married him.

"I love you." He whispers, after breaking the kiss by tugging on her lower lip.

"I love you too." Hinata murmurs as she kisses his neck and Sasuke sighs in pleasure while he caresses her breasts, stomach, and the front of her legs.

She was always so delightfully soft. So soft and warm. Somehow it was equal parts erotic and soothing.

Hinata smiles at his reaction. Sasuke was very sensitive to touch, especially on his neck. With that in mind, she lightly nips at the sensitive flesh and continues gliding her hand over his impressive erection.

 **"You have no idea, how good that feels."** He growls with approval as he lightly pushes Hinata down.

The original Sasuke was now laying underneath and the clone was on top of her. She shivers as she feels the warmth of their breath and skin against her own. There was something incredibly primal about being surrounded in such a way.

"Just tell us, if you don't like something." Sasuke whispers soothingly as he nibbles on her ear and glides his hands along her back in a sensual massage, eventually squeezing her backside suggestively.

"Alr-ight. That feels nice though." Hinata tells her lover as she leaves a trail of butterfly kisses and love bites along the muscular plans of his chest.

Sasuke groans in pleasure as he brushes his arousal against her womanhood teasingly. The action elicited a lustful moan from all three of them and he reaches down to tease her clit some more.

Hinata squirms. It felt so good. She could feel her lower half practically hum with desire from his sensual teasing. Not to be outdone, she felt the clone kiss her shoulder and rub his own desire against her backside.

"You know that you are the only woman that I've ever wanted and for good reason. No one else could compare to this." Sasuke says as he slides his fingers inside her.

"Ah! Nhh! Sasuke!" She cries out and writhes against him.

Hinata knew if he kept that up, she going to tumble over the edge soon. Wanting to prolong that, she moves down slowly and takes Sasuke into his mouth. Immediately he groans and the clone rubs his arousal more insistently against her.

 **"And that feels so fucking good. It seems wrong to neglect you while you make us feel so good though."** Sasuke says as he moves down slightly and parts her legs until his tongue brushes up against her core.

"S-asuke!" She moans around his arousal.

Feeling emboldened, she sucks harder and faster. Hinata could feel Sasuke run his fingers through her hair and lightly buck against her mouth. That and the sounds he was making told her that he was as lost in the moment as she was.

It was hard to focus though. Every lick and kiss that he bestowed upon her felt too good for that. She arches against the clone wantonly and takes Sasuke fully into her mouth, sucking as hard and fast as she could.

"Fuck! Hinata! If you keep that up, I'm not going to last." Sasuke warns her.

The bluenette felt a bit defiant. She wanted to see him completely lose control, so she doesn't stop. The clone swatted her backside in response.

 **"Naughty Kitten."** He growls at her lustfully.

That small swat was enough to send her over the edge. Hinata cries out as she reaches her first climax of the night. She shivers from the intensity. At times like these, she swore that she was flying.

Sasuke was apparently of a similar mind. Her husband spills his release and Hinata finally lets go. Both lovers take a moment to catch their breath before both Sasukes position themselves at her entrances.

"Do you think that you can handle us both?" Sasuke asks.

Hinata blinks. She couldn't believe that he was actually asking that. Then again, she had never expected him to employ a clone for sensual purposes either. Maybe she should expected it.

"Yes." She whispers, feeling her face turn ruby red at her response.

At the moment, she would have agreed to almost anything. If her father knew what she had just agreed to, he probably would have disowned her again. It didn't matter though. All that mattered was them.

"Alright." Sasuke says simply as he thrusts inside his wife from underneath her.

The clone quickly follow suit and both Sasuke's groan at the now familiar, blissful sensation of becoming one with their lover. Though the clone was experiencing it in a new way. Sasuke and the clone still themselves though.

It was tempting just to thoroughly ravish the beautiful woman caught between them, but he had to make sure that it didn't hurt her first. He knew that and somehow managed to summon up all his self-control to wait. He was waiting to see if she liked it or not.

"It's okay. You can move. I love you. You aren't hurting me." Hinata assures him as she kisses her lover passionately.

Sasuke returns the kiss and wraps his legs around her tightly. He revealed in the feeling of her lips against his and being inside her. It was euphoric.

She was always so hot, tight, and wet. They fit together so perfectly, despite the fact that they couldn't be anymore different. He could tell that his clone felt the same way because he saw his double claiming his Kitten.

 **"I think that I just found a new favorite Jutsu."** Sasuke groans as he slams into his lover and kisses the back of her neck.

"Definitely." He agrees as he slides into his wife and Hinata tries to match their pace.

The three of them began to move as one. Hinata was lost in a sea of sensation. She'd never felt so full before. Every touch, every cry of passion, and every sight was so intense. Even her lover's scent was fanning the flames of her desire hotter.

"You feel so good." Sasuke murmurs as he kisses her once more and thrusts against her spot.

The clone copies his movement and Hinata moans wantonly into the kiss. It felt so good. Every thrust drove her closer and closer to the edge.

Sasuke smiles into the kiss and runs his fingers through her hair. She was beautiful. He loved the way her midnight blue hair would cascade wildly around like a waterfall. Her lavender eyes were smoldering with desire and most of her beautiful skin was coated in an endearing rosy pink blush. The way she rode him and was being taken by him at the same time was the most erotic thing that he had ever seen in his life.

"So close!" She moans, after breaking the kiss.

Sasuke slams into her spot once more in response to that declaration. That was all that it took for her to scream as she came once more. Sasuke and the clone quickly followed suit, spilling their release with a roar of carnal satisfaction.

The two Sasukes slide out of their lover. A short while later, Hinata hears a loud pop. The clone had disappeared in a puff of smoke and now the original Sasuke was engaging in some well deserved afterglow cuddling with her.

 **End of Honeymoon Lemon**

"Mmm do you have anymore deviant ideas like that in mind?" Hinata asks as she tries to catch her breath.

"I have a lot of good ideas. It gets boring at the Academy while the students are taking test. On the plus side, those times do give me plenty of opportunity to brainstorm." Sasuke says.

Hinata blinks. Only Sasuke. Honestly, she didn't even know how to respond to that.

"Is that really what you think about while you are at work?" She asks incredulously.

"Not most of the time. When I'm actually working on lesson plans or instructing them, I give my students my complete focus. It's just when they are taking exams, there's not really anything else for me to do. That and I happen to have a beautiful wife. Why wouldn't I indulge in some daydreams?" Sasuke asks as he kisses her cheek.

Hinata shakes her head in amusement. She really didn't know how to respond to that now. Sasuke was clearly some kind of deviant, but he was a sweet one in his own unique way.

"You are a deviant. If my father knew that you were planning to ravish me with clones and that I had let you, he would have disowned me twice." She mumbles.

"That's just all the more incentive to ravish you with clones. I don't trust him, Hinata. I'm not going to lie. Still this is our Honeymoon. I'm sure that we can come up with something better to do than to think about what Hiashi Hyuga would be outraged by." Sasuke tells her with a smirk.

Hinata blushes scarlet and Sasuke just kisses her. Somehow, she doubted that either of them were going to get much sleep on their Honeymoon. Not that she minded. She was completely okay with that.

Meanwhile back in the Leaf Village, the Hyuga Elders were plotting. They were plotting an assassination. This normally wouldn't have been a difficult task to accomplish, but their target was Sasuke Uchiha.

To say the least, he was not an easy man to kill. There had to be a way though. It was for the good of their Clan and really the good of the village as a whole. Sasuke might seem normal now, but that wouldn't last.

"Alright. I think that we all agree on our goal. Does anyone know where Hiashi is?" An male elder asks.

"He's out in the gardens, training. I imagine that he'll be there for awhile. The man has thrown his heart and soul into becoming a stronger ninja, since the wedding. I can't blame him. He probably wants something constructive to do to take his mind off the fact that his daughter wed a demon." A Hyuga woman named Ayumi replies.

Hitzo nods. He was the man who had called this emergency meeting. Something had to be done and quickly. They had to take Sasuke out of the equation before Seiko was old enough to be influenced by his father's wicked ways.

"Very well. We shall begin then. Does anyone have any suggestions?" Hitzo asks.

"Obviously, we could never hope to defeat him in combat. I would suggest poison." Another Hyuga by the name of Amaya says.

Hitzo shakes his head. Poison wouldn't do. The Uchiha had developed an immunity from most poisons during his time in the Sound Village. They would have to be sneakier than that.

"While he was at the Sound, Orochimaru made sure that Sasuke developed a resistance to such measures. It's understandable as he was hoping to use the boy as his next vessel. Sadly, poison is highly unlikely to work. Are there any other suggestions?" He asks kindly.

There was a moment of silence. Combat and poison were the most common assassination routes that they usually employed. This time, they would have to be more creative though.

"We could kill him in his sleep. Everyone has to sleep sometime." Another says.

"His senses are sharp. There is a good chance that he would wake up and defend himself. That and I'm certain that he sleeps in the same bed as Lady Hinata. We would have to kill her as well in that case and that's not something that I have any desire to do." Hitzo says.

"An accident. Perhaps he could be riding in a carriage and it could go over a cliff." Ayumi tries again.

Hitzo pauses as he considers that possibility. It did have merit. Even Sasuke couldn't survive a broken neck.

"Very well. We shall begin preparations immediately to put this plan into action. We must save Lady Hinata and Seiko from this man." He says and the others nod in agreement.

Hitzo knew that it was an unpleasant task. It certainly was immortal, but it was for the greater good. After all, the good of the Clan came before the needs of any one individual. Besides, Hinata was young. Surely, she could find another husband later on.


	15. Chapter 15

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope everyone likes this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** This takes place two months after the last one. The test is something that I came up with and has been used in some of my other stories. As far as I know, it isn't cannon.

Chapter 15

"This is absurd. It should not be that difficult to get the Uchiha away from Hinata and Seiko." One of the elders mutters in annoyance.

"There has to be a way that we can manage it." Hizo growls in frustration.

Ayumi sighs. It was becoming rather clear that the small family was nearby inseparable. They were going to have to take drastic measures, if they ever wanted to kill him.

"It's a rather dishonorable move, but I believe that I may have a way to get him away from our kin long enough to dispatch him." The Hyuga woman says.

That immediately got everyone's attention. All of them wanted Sasuke out of the picture. While none of them were particularly thrilled that Sasuke had managed to "pollute the bloodline," they all knew that Seiko would likely grow up to be a powerful ninja. Certain allowances could be made for him. Not for Sasuke though.

"What did you have in mind?" Amaya asks softly.

"If we say that we wish to do the Yurushi Ceremony, he'll have to come alone to make the preparations. Only the Patriarchs of our Clan can prepare for such a thing." She reasons.

Yurushi meant forgiveness. The Forgiveness Ceremony was an ancient tradition. Whenever Clans had feuded with each other or had strife between them in the past, there was always the option of this ceremony. Essentially, it wiped the slate between the rival Clans clean.

It was rarely done. Clans were institutions based on honor and tradition. Forgiveness was not something that came easily. Generally, this type of ceremony was only reserved for the most severe of occasions. In a way, it was even more somber than First Blood.

"I am loathed to tar such a sacred tradition with murder, but it seems we have no choice. Very well. It seems that we will have to take some unsavory actions to save our Clan and this village from that demon." Hizo whispers.

The gravity of the situation was not lost on him. He hated that it had come down to this. The Forgiveness Ceremony would forever be tainted.

No one would ever find out the truth besides them, but it would be tainted. It was dishonorable and made his heart ache with guilt. Hitzo realized that by doing this, he was practically spitting on his ancestors' graves. Unfortunately, he had no other choice.

"Let us begin. There is no time to waste!" He says.

Hitzo smiles when a chorus of agreement is heard from his fellow conspirators. If nothing else, he knew that he could count on them. They were all in this together. They would find a way to kill a demon.

Meanwhile Sasuke smiles as Seiko was playing with Garuda. Their son was absolutely fearless. He wasn't sure whether to be proud or a little worried by that fact.

"Garrr-rude-DA!" Seiko cries out happily as he pets the bird.

"It's a good thing that your Summons like children so much." Hinata muses with a giggle as she leans back into his embrace.

Sasuke nods in agreement. Thank goodness for that. If that hadn't been the case, he would have kept their son far away from Aoda and Garuda. Thankfully, the two of them were quite happy in their roles as unofficial babysitters.

Seiko coos and giggles with delight as he pets the massive hawk. He loved the feeling of Garuda's feathers underneath his hands. He didn't have the vocabulary necessary to describe the sensation even in his head. He just knew that he liked it.

"Yeah. It is. Are you feeling any better? I know that you haven't been feeling well lately. Maybe you should go and see Tsunade." Sasuke says as he kisses his wife's cheek.

"Of course, I feel better. I'm in your arms." Hinata says with a smile.

"Such a sweet kitten." Sasuke replies as he kisses her forehead.

Hinata nods and snuggles into him further. She had been throwing up for a few days. She knew why. The bluenette just sure how Sasuke would take it.

Oh she had no doubt that he would be ecstatic about the pregnancy itself. What was more concerning would be his reaction to her former Clan's reaction. God help them all, if someone even looked at her the wrong way while she was pregnant.

"Always for you." She whispers.

"Garrr-rude-DA fly?" Seiko asks and the bird smiles as he takes to the sky and does a few loops.

Seiko smiles and laughs. The youngest Uchiha was clearly delighted by the "birdie." Sasuke was actually impressed that Garuda could understand his son's attempts at speech.

Sasuke thought it was adorable whenever Seiko talked. He was still trying to master the finer points of pronunciation though. Despite this, Seiko was generally able to get his point across.

"Sasuke, there's something that I have to tell you." Hinata says suddenly.

Realistically, she knew that she could only keep her potential pregnancy a secret from her husband for so long. That and she didn't want to hide things from him. They had always been honest with each other and she wanted him to share in her joy.

"What is it?" He asks and then holds out his arm to a messenger hawk that lands on it with a scroll.

The hawks were specially trained not to scratch anyone with their talons when they landed. Though Hinata notes with amusement, that Seiko certainly took after his father in this respect. Sasuke didn't even flinch when the bird landed on his arm. Not even when he saw the lethal talons.

"What's it say?" She asks curiously.

"Not sure let's see." Sasuke replies as he opens the scroll and reads.

That's when Sasuke's blood ran cold. This letter should have made him happy, but it didn't. The Hyugas had to be up to something.

 _ **Dear Uchiha Clan,**_

 _ **It is our regret that relations between our two families have been frosty at best. We should like to change this and begin anew. We propose doing this by performing the Forgiveness Ceremony.**_

 _ **In order to begin, we need the two Clan Patriarchs to meet. Should you be agreeable to the idea, come to the Forest of Death at midnight. Let us leave all the unpleasantness of the past behind us.**_

 _ **Sincerely, Hitzo (an Elder of the Hyuga Clan.)**_

"They want to do the Yurushi Ceremony." He mutters.

Hinata blinks. They couldn't possibly be serious, could they? That hadn't been done in centuries.

"You aren't going, are you?" The bluenette asks.

"Yes and no. There is something about this that feels off. I figure that's because your Clan is a den of vipers for the most part, but this feels even more bizarre than usual." The raven haired man says.

"What do you mean by yes and no?!" She demands.

Sasuke smirks. He knew that he couldn't really refuse the invitation. It would cause a scandal that would rock the Leaf Village to its core, but that didn't meant that he couldn't be sneaky.

"A ninja should expect the unexpected." Sasuke says as he forms a clone.

"You're going to send a clone in your place?" His wife asks in a stunned voice and Sasuke nods in confirmation.

It seemed like the best solution. That way the Hyugas couldn't accuse him of not wanting peace and it would preserve their Clan's reputation. That and if they tried something, they'd end up getting the clone. Not him.

"What do you think?" He asks.

"I think that's brilliant, but there really is something that I should tell you." Hinata says.

"I'm listening. What is it?" Sasuke asks as he smiles while watching Seiko play.

Hinata bites her lower lip. She could only hope that he wasn't going to do something stupid. What if he told her Clan about her pregnancy before the Forgiveness Ceremony? That wouldn't end well.

She could picture a million ways that this could go wrong. Despite that, he was her husband and she loved him. Sasuke deserved to know that she might be pregnant.

"I think that I might be p-" Hinata begins to tell him, but she never got the chance to finish her sentence because Team Eight came bounding in.

"Good morning, Hinata, Sasuke, and Seiko." Kurneai says happily.

Hinata sighs and looks up at the sky. She loved her team dearly. The young mother really did, but they had horrible timing!

It seemed like the entire world was conspiring against her today. First, she couldn't tell Sasuke because of the damn letter. Now, her team was unintentionally preventing her from informing her husband that she might be pregnant. It just wasn't fair!

"We just came by to tell you the good news!" Kiba says happily.

Sasuke tilts his head. The good news? What did the Inuzuka mean by that? Did he miss something or did Team Eight already know about the ceremony?

"What's the good news?" The Uchiha Patriarch asks curiously.

"Kurenai and Kakashi are getting married. He just proposed to her last night." Shino explains.

Kurenai smiles and shows the Uchihas her ring. Sasuke blinks. Damn. That was a nice ring. A heart-shaped diamond on a golden band, surrounded by two smaller heart-shaped sapphires.

"I have to give the man this much, he has good taste." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Oh Kurenai Sensei! That's wonderful news! I'm so happy for you!" Hinata says as she hugs her instructor tightly.

"Thank you, Hinata. We haven't decided on a date yet. I just wanted to let my team know right away!" The Genjutsu Mistress says and Sasuke nods in understanding.

Well maybe it wouldn't hurt to wait a little bit. She could always tell Sasuke after her team left. Hinata didn't really want to tell Sasuke for the first time while her team was there. She wanted it to be a special moment shared just by him and her. (And Seiko.)

A few hours later, Sasuke's clone cautiously goes to the Forest of Death. He wasn't sure what he would find there. To say the least though, he was on guard.

"Ah welcome. Sasuke Uchiha, it is so good of you to join us." A Hyuga man greets him.

"I'd like to say the same to you, but I don't like to lie. I got your scroll about the ceremony. Why now?" He asks.

That was what bothered him most. He had been married to Hinata for months and before that, they had been together for even longer. Why had the Hyuga Clan waited this long to offer an olive branch? It didn't make any sense.

"I believe the better question would be, why not now? Forgive my lack of manners. I am Hitzo Hyuga." The elderly man says.

Sasuke's eyes narrow in recognition. This was the man who had written him the letter. Somehow though, the Uchiha Patriarch doubted that he was the only one involved. Hyugas tended to travel in packs.

"I see. Were you the only one who proposed this reconciliation?" Sasuke asks.

"No. There are many others in the Clan who desire this as well. It's just that I am the least shy amongst them. Come. You have a long journey ahead of you. We have prepared a carriage for you." He says happily.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. A carriage? Did the man think that this was a fairytale? Then again, he was ancient. Carriages might have been the norm in his day.

"That's good to know. Where is this carriage going to take me though and where is Lord Hiashi?" He demands.

The letter had specified that it had to be the Clan Patriarchs. That meant that Hiashi had to be around here somewhere. He just didn't see him though.

"Lord Hiashi is already on his way to the ceremony. This carriage will take you to the Rice Nation. That is where the ceremony will be held. We found a small village that has no issue with us using some of their fields to hold it. It would seem like a more neutral location than anywhere in the Leaf." He reasons.

Hitzo watches Sasuke warily. He could only hope that the Uchiha was buying this. If he didn't, things might not end well.

"Alright. Well I suppose that it would be impolite of me to keep Lord Hiashi waiting." Sasuke says as he gets into the carriage.

"Exactly. Safe journey!" Hitzo says and the carriage starts off.

Hitzo smirks as he watches the horses lead Sasuke away from the Forest of Death. Soon enough, his Clan would never have to worry about that wretched man again. Not even Sasuke Uchiha could survive a broken neck.

Meanwhile back with the real Sasuke and Hinata, the married couple bid farewell to Team Eight. They had left and were heading home. That meant that their small family was alone and just waiting to see what would happen with the clone.

"I think that it might be a good idea for me to go to the hospital, after all. It doesn't hurt to be sure." Hinata mumbles.

"Alright. Seiko! Come!" Sasuke says and he smiles when their son toddles over to them.

He was getting much better at walking now. These days, Seiko managed to stay upright more than he fell. Sasuke considered that to be progress.

"Good boy." He says as he takes Hinata's and Seiko's hands, before teleporting them off to the hospital.

"Maybe you should wait in the waiting room with Seiko. He doesn't really like hospitals. I think he thinks that he's going to get a shot whenever he comes here." Hinata observes.

"Alright. If you need anything, just call out to me. I'll come." Sasuke tells her as he kisses her cheek and heads off to the waiting room with Seiko.

The bluenette sighs in relief. Thank goodness. She didn't want to get his hopes up. If she was pregnant, she could show him the results and they could celebrate together. If she wasn't, well she didn't want to see the crestfallen look on his face when the results came back negative.

"Lady Tsunade. Do you have a few moments?" Hinata asks softly.

"Of course, Hinata. What seems to be the problem?" The busty blonde inquires.

"Well there isn't a problem. At least, I don't think there is. I've been getting sick for the past few days. I thought that maybe…" She trails off.

Tsunade shakes her head in amusement. If her math was accurate, Hinata had her honeymoon two months ago. Morning sickness generally started around six weeks or so. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the Honeymoon Period was likely still going strong for the newlyweds.

"You want a pregnancy test, is that it?" She asks kindly.

"Yes, that's it." Hinata nods shyly as Tsunade administers the test.

A short while later, the clone was enjoying a carriage ride. There was something rather soothing about the whole affair. Maybe there was something to be said for the old fashioned method of transportation.

Well it had been relaxing until something spooked the horses. The horses that were now racing towards the edge of a cliff. So that was their game.

"An assassination attempt. Clever, but not clever enough." He mutters as he jumps out of the carriage.

Sasuke winces as he lands rather quickly on the ground. The impact of his fall was vicious and he could feel some rocks in the soil cut into his skin. Thankfully, he was just a clone and it wasn't enough to shatter him.

"AODA!" Sasuke says as he summons the giant snake.

"What do you wish of me, Master Sasuke?" He asks.

"Scare those horses into going into the opposite direction. They're heading towards the edge of a cliff." He mutters.

The serpent nods and slithers quickly. When the horses saw him, they ran in the opposite direction. Sasuke smiles.

There really as no reason for a bunch of horses to plunge to their death because of some plotting humans. There were few things that Sasuke wouldn't tolerate. One of them was animal abuse.

"Idiots. The horses are smarter and clearly better looking than them anyway." He mutters to himself.

With that in mind, Sasuke dismisses Aoda and continues the rest of the way on foot. He wasn't entirely certain if Hiashi would actually be there or if the Hyuga Patriarch knew what his kin had been planning. He was going to find out though.

He didn't like Hiashi. Sasuke didn't trust him either, but this didn't seem to be his style. It was too sloppy. Surely, Hiashi Hyuga would have ensured that he actually went over the cliff. He wouldn't have left something like that to chance.

"I guess we'll see." Sasuke whispers to himself as he races off.

Meanwhile back in the hospital, Tsunade finishes given Hinata the pregnancy test. She smiles as she shows the bluenette the results. It was definitely a clear positive.

"As you can see, it's rather straightforward. When you touched the white chakra paper, it turned the color of your chakra. If there is a second color, it means you are pregnant. Sometimes the child has the same chakra color as their mother. This is very rare, but when it happens you can still tell. Instead of a different color, there will be a slight shimmer on the paper." The medic explains and Hinata nods.

She had had the test done once before, but didn't mind Tsunade explaining. The Uchiha Matriarch quickly glances at the paper and blinks. There was a tiny pink dot on the paper. She was pregnant again.

"I thought that I might be. It's one thing to think it though. It's something else to actually confirm it." Hinata observes with a stunned smile.

"Believe me, I get that a lot. Well I imagine that Sasuke will be overjoyed." Tsunade says.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade. Can I keep the paper? I want to show Sasuke." She inquires.

Tsunade nods. She didn't mind Hinata keeping the paper. It wasn't as though it could be used again. The change in coloration was permanent now.

"Of course. Good luck. Congratulations." The medic says.

Hinata smiles and nods at Tsunade as she heads back to the waiting room. It didn't take her long to spot Sasuke and Seiko. It seemed that Seiko had made a new discovery today.

His father's hair was apparently fascinating. The toddler was tugging on Sasuke's bangs. The eldest Uchiha was enduring the experimentation good-naturedly.

"Sorry, that I took so long. I have important news though." She mumbles as she sits in his lap.

Sasuke blinks. Hmm. That was new. Hinata was usually shy in public. Something was definitely up.

"I'm listening. I have to admit that it's a little hard to focus when you're sitting in my lap though." He murmurs.

Hinata smiles and hands Sasuke the paper. It was nice to know that she could distract her husband so easily. Obviously, their Honeymoon was far from over.

"It's a piece of paper? It's pretty, but I don't get it." Sasuke mutters as he glances at Hinata with a baffled expressing, ignoring the fact that Seiko was still tugging on his hair.

"It's a pregnancy test. If it's one color, the woman isn't pregnant. If there is a second, the woman is. It's two colors." She whispers to him.

Sasuke's eyes widen. That meant she was pregnant. He beams and scoops her up, spinning her around excitedly.

"Daddy happyyyy." Seiko says as he watches his father spin his mother around like she was a rag doll.

"S-asuke! I'm happy that you're happy, but pl-ease put me down! I'm going to be sick! Morning Sick-ness!" She warns him.

With that proclamation, the Uchiha Patriarch gently sets his wife down. He didn't really want to make her sick and have her throw up all over him. He wasn't stupid.

"Sorry. I guess that I got a little carried away. That's wonderful news!" He says brightly.

"Yes, it is! I'll be ri-ght back!" Hinata says as she rushes off towards the nearest bathroom.

"Mommy siiick?" Seiko asks his father in confusion.

Sasuke rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He had no idea how to explain pregnancy to a toddler. Hinata wasn't sick, but Seiko couldn't possibly understand that.

"A little, but she'll be okay. Don't worry." Sasuke tells his son as he kisses the top of his head.

It wasn't a lie. It was called Morning SICKNESS, after all. That and it was the easiest explanation.

Hinata comes back a few minutes later. Sasuke chuckles and kisses her forehead. Her sulking expression was just too adorable not to do so.

"I forgot about Morning Sickness. It's not fun." She mumbles.

Seiko hugs his mother's leg. He might not really understand what was going on, but he understood his mother didn't feel good. Hugs always made him feel better.

"It's alright, baby. I'll be okay." Hinata assures him with a smile and Sasuke wraps his arms around Hinata.

"Let's get you home. I wasn't here when you were pregnant with Seiko, but I'm here now." He tells her.

Hinata rubs the back of her head sheepishly. Oh boy. She could only imagine what Sasuke was going to be like now that she was pregnant.

"You aren't going to become obsessively overprotective, are you?" Hinata asks.

"Hinata, I can't believe that you even had to ask me that. Of course, I am." Sasuke says smugly.

Hinata shakes her head in amusement. Oh boy. What had she just gotten herself into?


	16. Chapter 16

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Warnings will be put up before and after Sasuke's Revenge. Read at your own risk. **It is extremely brutal.**

Chapter 16

The clone makes his way to the Land of Rice. Sasuke couldn't lie. He was surprised when he saw Hiashi was actually there. Whether that meant he was in on the plot or not, the Uchiha Patriarch couldn't say.

It was possible that they had sent him on ahead to make it look realistic. There was also the chance that Hiashi was completely ignorant of the attempt on his life. One way or another, Sasuke was going to find out the truth.

"Sasuke." He greets him simply.

"Hiashi, tell me the truth. If you do not, I'll knock you out and take you to the Interrogation Unit. Did you have anything to do with the fact that several members of your Clan plotted against me? They wanted to assassinate me by causing my carriage to fall over a cliff." He says.

Sasuke watches Hiashi's reaction carefully. The Hyuga Patriarch was a skilled ninja. The man was probably gifted in the art of deception, but there were almost always signs. Little things in one's expression, body language, or voice tended to give away when most people were lying.

"They what?!" Hiashi demands.

"Clearly, they intended to lure me to my death by invoking this ceremony. I want to know, if you had anything to do with it. If you lie to me, I will find out and you're death will be even more gruesome. I love Hinata, but I can't let this go. This has gone well beyond the point of First Blood." Sasuke hisses at him.

Hiashi's blood ran cold. He doubted that Sasuke would make a false claim about an assassination attempt. Once again, he was forced to admit that the eldest Uchiha was an honest man. Whatever his other faults were, lying wasn't one of them.

"I had no idea. I assure you that they will be suitably punished. I may not like you, but you're the father of my grandchild. For reasons that I will never understand, Hinata loves you. That means something." The lavender eyed man replies.

"You have the strangest way of issuing an apology that I have ever seen." Sasuke mutters in annoyance.

"Sorry. I suppose that old habits die hard. We have never really had the warmest relationship. Despite that, I am a man of honor. I promise you that I shall deal with this situation." He assures him.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Hiashi didn't sincerely think that was that, did he? He couldn't possibly be that naïve.

"Whether or not you are a man of honor, remains to be seen. Thus far, I am not inclined to agree. A man of honor wouldn't abandon his own blood. Your assurances mean NOTHING to me. If you think that I am going to leave you to give them a slap on the wrist for their misdeeds, you're sadly mistaken." The raven haired man snaps at him.

"I understand why you feel that way. I was only doing what I thought would be best for my Clan. You're a Clan Head now. Granted, it's a small one. Surely, you can understand now though." He says.

Sasuke smirks at the small Clan reference. It was about to get a little less small in a few months. He knew that it was childish, but he couldn't wait to throw that in the other man's face.

The Uchiha bit his tongue though. Hinata might not want Hiashi to know that yet. For now, he was going to keep her pregnancy a secret from the other Clan Head. It was tempting though. Really tempting to throw it in his face.

"I'm certain that you believed you were doing what was best. I would NEVER do to Seiko what you did to Hinata. I suppose that is the difference between us though." Sasuke snarls at him.

"Do you think that it was easy for me to disown her? Do you think that it was easy for me to disown my grandson?!" He demands.

"It doesn't matter. You still did it. If it was up to me, you'd already be dead. You should be grateful for Hinata's mercy. As long as you don't do anything stupid, you'll get to live. I can't say the same for your kin though." Sasuke warns him.

Hiashi freezes. Whatever they might have done, they were still family. He couldn't just allow Sasuke to kill them.

"I can't let you do that!" He protests.

"You seem to put the needs of your Clan as a whole above individual members. Do you really think that I'm going to just forget what they tried to do? It's them or the Uchiha Clan will be restored with a blood grudge against your Clan. In a few years, what do you think will happen? Will it be worth having our families despise each other because you wanted to save a few treacherous fossils?" Sasuke asks.

The Hyuga Patriarch frowns. Sasuke's implication was clear. He wouldn't massacre the Hyuga Clan, but he wouldn't hide the truth from the rest of his Clan. The next generation of Uchihas would grow up hating his family. That would be disastrous.

Hiashi knew that currently his Clan had the numbers on their side and they would for a long time. That didn't really matter though. Sasuke was a one man army by himself and really who knew what Seiko would one day be capable of. It would likely be the end of them.

"Very well. You may have your pound of flesh. They tried to kill you and they did so without my consent. That means we both have justification to kill them. I will allow you to execute them and come up with an excuse as to why they died. They're old. It wouldn't be unexpected for one of them to pass on, but all of them at once will prove a challenge. Once I do this, I expect that all hostilities will cease between our families." He says simply.

"That's agreeable. I will need to speak to Hinata about this. I have no secrets from my wife." Sasuke replies.

While it was tempting not to tell her, Sasuke couldn't do it. He'd feel too guilty. That and his kitten was smart. She'd likely figure out what happened, if he didn't tell her. He wouldn't keep this from her.

"Are you certain that is a wise idea?" Hiashi asks.

"Not entirely, but she deserves to know the truth. You did her a favor by disowning her. She's better than that den of vipers that you have the audacity to call a family. If it wasn't for her, Neji, and Hanabi, your Clan would be completely irredeemable." He growls in disgust.

Hiashi didn't know how to feel about Sasuke having somewhat more positive feelings towards Hanabi and Neji. It was probably a good thing. His Clan would need every ounce of goodwill they could garner, if they were going to avoid disaster.

"You know nothing about my Clan, but you're right. She does deserve to know. It will only upset her though." The Hyuga man points out.

"It will upset her. That isn't my goal, but I know her. She will find out the truth sooner or later. And since when do you care about her feelings?" Sasuke snarls.

Hiashi sighs. In Sasuke's eyes, he was a monster. The reverse was also true. They would likely never be able to see each other as anything but villains.

"Our bickering will not solve anything." He says.

"I'll go speak with her. After that, I will meet you at the Training Grounds tomorrow and carry out their execution. Hinata may or may not come with me." He says as he flits off.

The lavender eyed man couldn't believe this. How had things come to this? The elders had plotted an assassination behind his back and now, he was going to have them executed. He was going to have them executed, but not tell the rest of his Clan. Sadly, he had no other choice.

Their lives were forfeited the second that they decided to kill Sasuke Uchiha. Quite honestly, Hiashi wasn't entirely certain that the other man was human enough to die. One thing was for sure though. He was a hard man to kill and he was not a forgiving man. The elders that had plotted against him, truly were dead men walking.

Meanwhile back in the Uchiha home, Sasuke smiles as he sits in the bed with Hinata in his lap. Seiko was in hers., Currently, his wife was reading a story to Seiko.

"And they lived happily ever after." Hinata finishes and Seiko coos.

Sasuke hadn't really been paying much attention to the actual story itself. Something about a prince and a princess. It was like most other fairytales. He didn't care though. Seiko seemed to like it.

The eldest Uchiha was quite content with his own princess. Well maybe he should say queen. Hinata was the only woman in his Clan at the moment. Queen might be more accurate.

"Damn it." Sasuke mutters.

"What's wrong?" Hinata asks as she smiles at Seiko who had just fallen asleep.

"You aren't going to like this. I don't want you to get upset. You're pregnant. It's not good for you or the baby." He insists.

Hinata blinks. She didn't know what was wrong, but she knew that wasn't a good sign. If Sasuke was that worried, there had to be a good reason.

"I'll try not to get too upset, but I can't make any promises. What is it?" She insists.

"The ceremony was just a ruse. The elders wanted to kill me. The horses would have driven that carriage over the cliff, if things had ended just a little bit differently. It doesn't look like your father had anything to do with it. He's agreed to let me execute them as punishment. After that, our Clans will consider the slate wiped clean." Sasuke explains.

Hinata just stares at her lover. She was almost positive that she was gaping like a fish, but she couldn't help it. It was just so unbelievable.

"I oh God! Sasuke! What are we going to do?!" She asks.

"It's alright. Their attempt failed. I'll deal with the threat. I just wanted you to know the truth. You don't need to get involved in this. I'll make sure that they can't hurt our family or anyone else, ever again." Sasuke promises her.

He told her not to worry, but now she was worried. The young mother didn't doubt Sasuke's words. By the time that he was done with them, there wouldn't be anything of the elders. That wasn't what bothered her.

What bothered her is that she knew her husband. Sasuke had a tendency to lose himself to rage. Their deaths would likely be gruesome and she wasn't sure, if he would stop there.

"I don't want a Clan War." She insists.

"I'm not going to start a war. I'm going to deal with the threat. Hiashi knows that he has to let me do it or later on, there might be a war. In the long run, these are mercy killings." Sasuke reasons.

Hinata didn't like the sound of that, but they had plotted to kill Sasuke. They wanted to take the father of her children away from her. If Sasuke didn't kill them, they'd likely try again. Maybe they'd be successful.

That thought horrified her. She couldn't imagine a world without him now. Seiko had a father now. They were a happy family. She just wished that her blood relatives would understand that. It never had to come to this.

"I'm not happy about it and I don't want to see the execution, but I won't stop you. After this though, no more. No more blood." She tells him.

"No more." Sasuke agrees as he kisses her forehead.

"Good." Hinata says with a smile as she snuggles into his arms and slowly drifts off into the Land of Dreams with her husband.

The next day, the Uchihas leave for the Academy, after dropping Seiko off with Kakashi. It seemed that the silver haired ninja was trying to impress a certain Genjutsu Mistress. That or at least the Masked Ninja wanted to prove that he wasn't completely incompetent when it came to toddlers.

Sasuke found the whole situation amusing. The Masked Ninja was going to marry Kurenai and to do that, he needed to prove that he was a good "daddy." That was probably why he had agreed to watch Seiko.

The idea of Kakashi with a child was hilarious. Thankfully, Kurenai was there. (So in the absolute worse scenario, she would ensure that Seiko was returned to them safe and sound.)

"I'm surprised that you trust Kakashi with Seiko." Hinata says with a giggle.

"I'm iffy on Kakashi, but Kurenai knows what she's doing. I'll see you at lunch." Sasuke says as he gives her a quick kiss.

Hinata smiles and returns the kiss. It was nice to see that things were returning to normal. Maybe things would work out somehow.

"Alright. Have a good day." She whispers.

"I will. Try not to let any of your students eat the crayons. I know that they say they aren't toxic, but I don't really trust that label." Sasuke teases her with a smirk.

"I'll try to keep that in mind." Hinata says as she heads off and rolls her eyes good-naturedly at her husband.

With that, Sasuke goes to find Iruka. He had promised Hinata that he would be back in time for lunch. That was a little over four hours from now. That wasn't as long as he would like, but it was long enough.

"Iruka, I have to go away on a special mission for the Hokage. I'll be back around lunch time. Can you cover my class?" He asks.

"Of course, I can. Good luck, Sasuke." The middle aged Chunin says.

Sasuke nods gratefully at Iruka. That was the nice thing about the other man. He was a professional. Iruka didn't ask too many questions.

"Thank you." The Uchiha Patriarch says as he teleports off.

He smirks when he found Hiashi. He had already bound the elders. That was considerate of him.

"I take no pleasure in this, Uchiha. They did endanger our entire Clan though and it is only fair. I will not be here to watch you butcher them though." Hiashi says.

"Are you really attempting to lecture me about morals?" Sasuke demands incredulously.

"No. If Seiko and Hinata aren't involved, I don't believe that you have any morals. I am just informing you of the reality of the situation." He states.

"That's fine. Your opinion is completely irrelevant to me and I'm damn certain that it will be equally as irrelevant to Seiko one day." The eldest Uchiha seethes at him.

Hiashi winces. That one hurt. He just hoped that Sasuke didn't see his wince.

"It's regrettable that it has come to this, but I shall take my leave now." He states as he heads off.

 **Warning Torture Scene**

"You know that was sloppy. Did you really think that a carriage ride would kill me?" Sasuke asks as he circles the tightly bound Hyugas in a way that reminded them of a shark.

"We had to protect our Clan somehow! Demon!" One of them screams at him.

Sasuke shrugs. He couldn't exactly disagree with the accuracy of that label. Some days, he really was a demon.

"If your intention was to protect your Clan, you certainly failed at that. Your family is lucky that Hiashi discarded you so easily. Had he not, the Hyuga Gardens would have run red with blood." Sasuke warns him as he unsheathes his sword and cuts Hitzo's tongue out.

His companions watch in horror as the elder Hyuga chokes. Sasuke smirks. That was just the beginning. Oh he was going to enjoy this.

"You know I have been dying to share the good news, but I'm not sure if Hinata wanted to keep it a secret yet. Seiko isn't my only child. She's carrying our second child. Unfortunately, none of you are ever going to see him or her." The Uchiha continues and this time, he slashes Ayumi's left eye.

The woman cries out in pain as blood splatters over Sasuke's shirt and she goes half blind. Sasuke normally wouldn't have attacked an elderly woman, but she was a special case. So was the other hag sitting next to her.

"Damn you!" Ayumi spits at him.

"That's actually a very good point. You know it's said that the flames of Amatersau burn hotter than Hell itself. I wonder if that's true. Shall we find out?" He asks as he summons some of the dreaded black flames.

He could feel blood dripping from his eye, but he didn't care. He had grown used to it. Besides, these scum had to be punished. Punishment was something that Sasuke was very good at.

The other woman screams. Sasuke smirks. That was all that was needed. He guides the flames into her mouth. Her death would be swift and agonizing. The flames were burning her alive from the inside.

"AHHHHH! MAKE IT STOP!" She begs and screams desperately.

"You shouldn't have tried to make my children grow up without a father, if you wanted to live. Honestly, you should be more grateful. I could have drug your death out more." He says as the woman slumps over and her eyes go lifeless.

The flames had likely consumed her heart or perhaps her lungs. Either way, she was dead. The sight of her corpse laying immobile on the ground was proof enough of that.

"AMAYA!" Ayumi shrieks at the sight of her best friend's death.

"Oh. So that was her name? Good to know. It's important to have something to put on the tombstone. You're also lucky. I know that you weren't the real mastermind behind this plot. Your death will be quick. I can't say the same for your other friend though." Sasuke says as he swings his sword once and stabs her through the heart, killing her instantly.

Sasuke slams his foot into the other man's ribcage, shattering it. The Hyuga elder's opinion didn't matter to him. He was going to protect his family. It was wrong, but he couldn't deny that there was something very satisfying about listening to him scream in agony. Well he screamed as much as a man without their tongue could scream either way.

"Maybe, I shouldn't have cut out your tongue. It would have been nice to hear you scream and beg for mercy. Oh well. You Hyugas are quite proud of your Gentle Fist Style, but it's difficult to perform it without hands." Sasuke says as he slices the other man's hands off.

He watches as blood pours freely from the wounds. Hitzo deserved far worse than that in his mind. Sasuke was actually having a hard time coming up with a suitable way to make this man suffer, but in a timely fashion.

After all, he had promised Hinata that he would meet her for lunch. He wasn't going to keep his Kitten waiting. That would be rude.

"You know my father taught me this technique. So I think it's only appropriate that you will die by fire. You tried to take me away from my wife and my son. I can hardly think of a more fitting end than death by fire for you." Sasuke says as he slams his foot in to the ground, creating a small crater.

It was just big enough to hurl Hitzo inside it. Sasuke swiftly sends a roaring fireball into the crater. The elder man was still tightly bound by his feet. He couldn't escape. Sasuke watches as he was burned alive.

The Uchiha quickly dispels the flames once they were done and takes stock of what he had done. They were all dead. He just had to make sure that their secrets died with them.

 **End of Torture Scene**

"Even in death, they still find a way to be annoying." He mutters as he picks up their remains and teleports off.

He smirks when he comes upon the cliff that they had intended to be the scene of his death. This would certainly be poetic justice.

"Perfect." He says as he throws their bodies over the cliff and swiftly joins them at the bottom.

Their bodies were completely smashed in dozens, if not hundreds of places. That would explain why Hitzo's hands were no longer attached. He still had to make sure that it wasn't obvious that they had been injured by a sword.

"FIREBALL JUTSU: PHOENIX FLOWER STYLE!" He calls out and an impressive blaze forms.

He made sure to burn everything, but their bones. He needed them to be identifiable, after all. He just didn't want the real cause of their deaths to be known. Their dental records, if nothing else would identify them.

"Looks like I'll be back in time for lunch." He muses as he quickly changes into some spare clothes that he had brought and burns his old ones.

They were covered in blood. He could hardly walk back into the Academy covered in blood and he certainly didn't want anyone to accidentally discover his own clothes. Burning them was the best solution.

"That's better. Now, that I've taken out the trash, I can go get something to eat." He says as he heads off.

A few minutes later, Sasuke was in the Academy's Cafeteria. He smiles as he sits next to Hinata and kisses her cheek. In his mind, he had protected his family and thus he was a happy man.

"How are you feeling?" He asks.

"Alright. Thankfully, the Morning Sickness isn't too bad today." She says with a sweet smile.

"Good. I'm glad to hear that." Sasuke says and he caresses her cheek.

He loved this woman. He'd do anything for her and that included butchering several elderly ninjas. To be fair, they had started it.

"Do you think that Seiko has driven Kakashi insane yet?" Hinata asks as she eats her salad.

"Most likely. I'd pay good money to see that man babysitting." Sasuke replies with a smirk.

"Me too. Oh and Kurenai Sensei asked me to be her Maid of Honor." Hinata says happily.

Sasuke still couldn't believe that Kakashi was getting married. That was going to take awhile to wrap his head around. Still he was happy for his former instructor and Kurenai. It seemed like a good match.

"Well I'll say this much for her. Kurenai has excellent tastes. There isn't anyone who would make a better Maid of Honor than you." Sasuke praises Hinata as he kisses her forehead and smiles.

"You are really sweet when you want to be." The bluenette says with a giggle.

"Mmm only for you and our family. I think this one will be a girl." Sasuke observes.

Hinata shakes her head in amusement. It was a coin toss really. If Sasuke was right though, she knew that he would be smug about it forever.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I'm sure that Seiko will be an excellent big brother though." She replies.

"Yes, I'm sure as well. That reminds me, when do you want to make the announcement? Realistically, people are bound to notice you are pregnant sooner or later and I think that Neji and Hanabi will want to know." Sasuke reasons.

"Well I suppose there is no time like the present. Maybe we can tell them after we the Academy gets out." Hinata suggests.

"Sounds good to me." Sasuke agrees, deciding that he'd tell her that the elders were gone later.

He didn't want to spoil her good mood. They could make the announcement and then he'd tell her that he had snuck off and killed them. Sasuke would never hide the truth from her, but he figured it would best to spare his Kitten from the gruesome details of her kin's demise.

"Good. Oh and I guess you were right about the house. It's probably a good thing that you got a medium sized one. Otherwise, we might not have had room." Hinata observes.

"Mhm. Well I hope that you have learned a valuable lesson. You should just let me spoil you." Sasuke tells her as he kisses his wife.

"Mmm I guess you're right." Hinata agrees with a smile, after returning his kiss.


	17. Chapter 17

Our Son

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. For those of you interested, feel free to check out my other stories and it's likely that some new plot bunnies will be introducing themselves in the next few days. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the epilogue of _**Our Son**_.

 **Chapter Notation:** This takes place three years after the last one. Oh and no spiders were actually harmed in the making of this story.

Chapter 17

"Sister! Sister! Look what father taught me!" Seiko calls out.

Mikoto tilts her head to the side and toddles over to her older brother. The Uchiha Princess, as Sasuke called her, was now two years old. By this time, she had mastered the art of walking.

"Magics?" She asks cutely and Seiko nods.

He leads her outside. For some reason, mother really didn't want him to try this inside the house. Oh well. He didn't mind showing off his newest trick outside.

"Watch! Watch! Fireball Jutsu: Phoenix Flower Style!" He says and he blows flames out of his mouth.

Mikoto watches with wide eyes and claps. Her big brother had magics now too. She was sure that she'd be taught how to do the fire flower magic soon. She might only be two, but she figured it was a trick that only big people could do.

"Pretty! Pretty magic!" She says excitedly and giggles.

"I still can't believe that you taught our four year old son how to make fireballs!" Hinata says as she walks outside with Sasuke.

They had both felt the chakra spike. That and the fact that they smelled smoke probably had something to do with it. Hinata was still of the opinion that child with fireballs required constant supervision. Sasuke apparently thought that, _"Boys will be boys."_

"I know. I didn't expect him to be able to actually do it for a couple years, but he really wanted to try." Sasuke replies.

"Sasuke, that is NOT the point!" Hinata says as she places her hands on her hips.

"You're such a cute kitten, especially when you pretend to be angry." Sasuke tells her and he kisses his wife's forehead.

Seiko was quite pleased with his newly discovered ability and his sister's reaction. One day, he was sure that Mikoto would be able to do it as well. His father had told him that it was a family tradition. Mikoto just wasn't old enough yet.

 _"Alright. We can try." Sasuke finally relented._

 _"Yay! I can do it! I know that I can! I'm big now! Just like you!" Seiko said._

 _Sasuke shook his head in amusement and led his son outside. The youngest male Uchiha knew that his father thought that he was too young to do this. Sasuke had told him that he hadn't managed it till he was six or seven. Seiko knew that he could do it though! He was going to prove it too!_

 _"Well you're definitely getting bigger. Just don't be too upset, if it takes a few years for you to manage this. Now watch what I do and try to copy me." Sasuke explained simply._

 _He performed the necessary hand signs and summoned up the required chakra. A short while later, he slowly pronounced the name of the Jutsu and a giant fireball was blown out of his mouth. He knew that the name of the Jutsu was likely going to be a mouthful for the four year old. Actually, just saying the name correctly was likely going to pose a serious challenge to his son._

 _It took at least half a dozen tries. Seiko was getting really frustrated. So far all that he had managed was some smoke and a few sparks._

 _"Alright, Seiko. I think that's enough for today. You did really well. The fact that you got smoke is a good sign. It means that you are performing the technique correctly. You just don't have enough chakra yet. That's not your fault. You're still really young." Sasuke assured him._

 _"No! No! I can do it! FIREBALL JUTSU: PHOENIX FLOWER STYLE!" He tried again and this time he managed a fireball._

 _A real one! It wasn't anywhere near as big as his daddy's, but it wasn't just sparks anymore. Seiko grinned triumphantly._

 _"I'll be damned." Sasuke muttered to himself in shock._

 _He smiled and hugged Seiko. That's when Hinata came out and raised an eyebrow. Clearly, the woman had smelled smoke._

 _"Sasuke, do you smell smoke?" She asked suspiciously._

 _"Yeah. I taught Seiko how to perform the Fireball Jutsu!" He said proudly._

 _"You taught our FOUR YEAR OLD how to breathe fire?!" The young mother demanded._

 _"Yes! I know! It's incredible! I didn't expect him to be able to do it for a couple years." Sasuke said smugly, much to Hinata's chagrin._

Hinata sighs. She knew that she couldn't stay mad at him. He was just being a proud father, Uchiha Style. Apparently, fireballs just came with the territory.

"Well at least you didn't teach him how to do that during the Terrible Twos." She mumbles.

"Exactly." Sasuke agrees as he wraps his arms around her and watches Seiko and Mikoto "play" in the yard.

Hinata smiles. They were so adorable. It was worth the pain of childbirth to have them. (And that was certainly saying something because childbirth was excruciatingly painful!)

"I still can't get over it. She looks just like her." Sasuke whispers in Hinata's ears as he remembers the day Mikoto was born.

 _"Naruto! I need you to watch Seiko!" Sasuke yelled at the blonde through his door._

 _"Whoa! Whoa! Easy there, Sasuke! What's wrong?" The other ninja asked as he opened his door and saw a rather panicked looking Uchiha._

 _"Hinata just went into labor. This is going to take awhile, but I don't think that a delivery room is any place for a toddler." The Uchiha Patriarch told him._

 _Naruto blinked. The raven haired ninja didn't know why he looked so shocked. Hinata WAS nine months pregnant. It was expected that she'd be going into labor._

 _"Oh. Right. That's a good point. Yeah. I'll watch him. Don't worry." Naruto said._

 _Naruto just shook his head and smiled as he lead Seiko inside. Sasuke knew that his friend would take good care of his son. As soon as the words left Naruto's mouth, Sasuke teleported off in a swirl of flames._

 _When Sasuke arrived at the hospital, he saw that Hinata was already laying on one of the beds. He smiled and swiftly darted over to her side. He couldn't be there for Seiko's birth, but he would be there for their daughter's._

 _"It's alright, Sasuke. It just started. Are you sure that you really want to be in the delivery room? It's not a pretty process." Hinata warned him._

 _"Hinata, I survived being turned into a human pincushion by Haku, living in the Sound Village, getting my arm blown off and a new one reattached, and your psychotic family. I think that I can handle being in the same room as you when you give birth to our daughter." Sasuke assured his lover._

 _Hinata just shook her head. Well she had tried to warn him. He'd learn his lesson eventually._

 _The bluenette was in labor for the better part of a day. During that time, Sasuke was thoroughly traumatized. Every scream and contraction that she endured, felt like he was experiencing it. She was his wife. He loved her. Sasuke hated seeing her in pain._

 _"Can't you give her something for the pain?!" Sasuke growled at Tsunade._

 _"I can and I offered, but Hinata said she didn't want drugs. Not unless they were absolutely necessary." Tsunade replied._

 _Sasuke thought that they were absolutely necessary. His poor Kitten. Damn this was brutal. How did women survive this on a regular basis?!_

 _"That's it! Good girl! You're doing wonderfully Hinata. I can see the head!" The busty blonde informed the Uchiha Matriarch._

 _That's when Sasuke made the mistake of looking down. It was disturbing. Seeing an actual head emerge from his wife's body._

 _"Ahhhh!" Hinata cried out._

 _"Push! Push, Hinata! You're almost there!" The medic shouted encouragingly._

 _Hinata pushed and she pushed. It didn't take long for a loud cry to ring throughout the room. Tsunade smiled and scooped up the baby. Immediately, Shizune was at Hinata's side and helping her clean up._

 _"Is she alright?" Sasuke asked nervously._

 _"That's what I'm checking." Tsunade told him as she examined the tiny bundle._

 _After a few agonizing minutes of examination and the busty blonde giving some vaccinations, Tsunade declared that the child was healthy. She smiled and placed her in Hinata's arms. Hinata thanked her and looked down at her daughter in wonder._

 _"Sasuke, come look. She's so beautiful." Hinata said with a smile as her husband moves back to her side._

 _Sasuke looked down at the little bundle wrapped in a baby blanket and smiled. His wife was right. She was beautiful._

 _"She looks almost identical to my mother. Well she obviously has your eyes and even Itachi's markings on her face, but other than that. The resemblance is amazing." He said as he looked down at his first daughter._

 _"We'll name her after Mikoto then and ensure she has a happier ending than your mother did." Hinata promised as he began nursing her._

 _Sasuke nodded and caressed Hinata's cheek. She really was such a kind women. He still didn't have the faintest idea why someone like her wanted to be with someone like him. He was just grateful that she did._

 _"I love you. How do you think Seiko will react?" He asked._

 _"I love you too and I'm not sure. He's still so young. He might not fully understand." Hinata mused._

That's when Sasuke tensed. He could feel a familiar, though not entirely welcomed signature in the Uchiha District. Hiashi Hyuga was nearby. Thankfully, so were Hanabi and Neji.

After Hinata found out that she was pregnant again, Sasuke had begun paying for repairs to the Uchiha District. They had a very nice house, but eventually their Clan would grow too large to be contained in it. They still lived in the house that they bought, but sometimes visited the District to oversee the repairs.

"He had better not start anything." Sasuke mutters under his breath.

"I know. I know. It'd be wrong to keep him from seeing his grandchildren though." Hinata whispers.

Sasuke didn't see why they couldn't keep Seiko and Mikoto away from Hiashi. The idiot had disowned Hinata. He had finally realized that he was wrong to do so, but now it was too late.

Hinata couldn't be accepted back into the Clan, even if she wanted to be. She was an Uchiha by marriage now. Seiko and Mikoto were Uchihas by blood and name. They might have an equal amount of Hyuga blood running through their veins, but their last names said it all.

"Good morning, big sister!" Hanabi says cheerfully as she races over to Hinata and hugs her.

Neji gave Sasuke a dignified nod of acknowledgment and then turned his attention to the children. Sasuke returns the nod and watches as the Hyuga man hugs Mikoto and Seiko. He didn't mind Neji. He was a good man in his own way.

He DID mind Hiashi though. As far as Sasuke was concerned, the other man should have known better than to set foot in his District. He was really asking for it.

"Good morning, daughter. Sasuke." Hiashi says.

"It was a better morning before you showed up." Sasuke growls at him.

Hiashi flinches. He deserved that one. He knew that the raven haired man was aware that he hadn't played any part in the assassination attempt, but Sasuke was never going to forgive him. He'd never forgive Hiashi for disowning Hinata and Seiko. (And by extension, Mikoto.)

"Sasuke, don't start a fight." Hinata mumbles.

"Alright. For your sake, I'll be polite to him. It's far more than he deserves. Besides, I was thinking that we should go for a tiebreaker." Sasuke says as he holds his wife even more closely in his arms.

Hinata snuggles into his embrace. She smiles because she knew what he was doing. While Sasuke did enjoy holding her and she knew that, Hinata also wasn't stupid. He might as well be sticking his tongue out at Hiashi Hyuga with the gesture. He was throwing their relationship in the other man's face.

"Mmm. What do you mean by that?" She asks.

"Well we have one son and one daughter. We should have a third child to break the tie." He says knowledgably.

Hanabi quickly rushes over to Hiashi. She was suddenly afraid that her father might faint. He looked rather pale and was clearly shake on his feet at THAT suggestion.

"Father, are you alright?" She asks nervously.

"Yes, I'll be fine." He mutters.

Damn Sasuke. He was such a sadistic creature. It was one thing to restore his Clan, but did he have to discuss it so openly?

Hiashi acknowledged that the Uchiha Patriarch did seem to rather relish his role as a father. Despite that, he certainly didn't want to hear about their family planning. It brought to mind rather _**unsavory**_ mental images.

"Seiko and Mikoto are growing so fast." Neji observes with a smile.

He was hoping to change the subject. He wasn't a fool. Hiashi and Sasuke still reviled each other and anyone could see that.

Sasuke might tolerate Hiashi in small doses for Hinata's sake, but it was still a dangerous combination. Quite frankly, that was why he and Hanabi always made sure to accompany their Patriarch on these excursions. If worse came to worst, they might be able to reason with Sasuke and prevent a bloodbath.

"Hello, Hiashi." Seiko greets him formerly.

"Hello, HIGH-SHE!" Mikoto says with a bright smile.

Sasuke smirks. Apparently, Hiashi's name was a mouthful for Mikoto. He particularly liked the way she pronounced it. It sounded like his daughter was calling Hiashi a she.

That definitely made the Hyuga man flinch. Sasuke had gone great pains to make sure that Seiko and Mikoto didn't call him grandfather. He had waved the right to be addressed in such an affectionate way when he disowned them. Sasuke knew that it was sadistic, but he did enjoy seeing Hiashi flinch when he was addressed so formally by his own grandchildren.

"We were just about to go to the lake to join some of our friends. Would you like to accompany us?" Hinata asks her father.

"No. I think that's alright. I just wanted to see how the lot of you were getting on. I can see that things are going well. If Neji and Hanabi wish to go, that's acceptable though." He states.

"Alright. Well I guess we better get going." Hinata says as she heads off with her family.

Neji and Hanabi follow their sighing Patriarch home, after bidding adieu to their loved ones. It was progress, thought to himself. He could actually carry on somewhat of a conversation with Sasuke now. His grandchildren didn't hate him. They just didn't realize he was their grandfather. Maybe someday that would change.

It didn't take the family long to get to the lake. Sasuke smiles when he notices that it looked like about half of the village was there. Well who could blame them? It was as beautiful summer day.

"Swim! Swim!" Seiko says excitedly as he takes off into the water.

Sasuke sighs and summons Aoda. He instructs the snake to follow the boy. He was only four. While Seiko had inherited his father's "water fetish," Sasuke wasn't taking any chances. (Though thankfully, Seiko's love of water was far more innocent than Sasuke's.)

"You'll teach him how to make a fireball, but you don't trust him to swim on his own?" Hinata asks with a giggle.

"Exactly." Sasuke replies as he sits down on the beach and promptly tugs off his shirt, leaving his pants on.

Hinata shakes her head and slides out of her shirt and pants. She was wearing a pristine white bikini. Hmm. Sasuke suddenly was debating if winter was still his favorite season or not. That was certainly a nice view.

"Make sand castle?" Mikoto asks as she sits in her mother's lap, who was sitting in Sasuke's.

"Yes, we can make a sand castle." Hinata tells her and smiles when she felt Sasuke kiss her shoulder as she begins making it.

"Yay!" Mikoto giggles as she watches her mother make one.

Sasuke smiles and glances at the water. Seiko was paddling around and Aoda was watching him like a hawk. It looked like Seiko was playing with some other kids.

Sasuke was relieved. Thankfully, it appeared that his former reputation hadn't prevented his son from making friends. Mikoto was still young enough that he doubted his daughter could really envision a world outside her immediate family, but Seiko would be starting the Academy soon enough. He should be making friends.

"Hey, bastard!" Sasuke hears a familiar voice call out.

Sasuke smirks. He knew who it was. Only Naruto was dumb enough to call him a bastard.

"Hey, loser. What are you doing here?" Sasuke asks curiously.

"Just enjoying the nice day. Looks like pretty much everyone is here. I can't believe you summoned Aoda. I'm surprised that didn't cause a panic." The blonde observes.

Sasuke shrugs. People knew that Aoda was his Summon. Honestly, most people were more comfortable around the giant serpent than him. It was hard not to fall in love with Aoda, once you got beyond his intimidating appearance. He really was a golden retriever trapped inside a snake's body.

"I think that they're pretty used to him by now." Sasuke reasons.

"Yeah. I guess so. Oh look! There's Kakashi, Kurenai, and Mirai!" The blue eyed ninja exclaims brightly.

Sasuke looks where Naruto was. Sure enough, the loser was right. The Uchiha Patriarch couldn't help but smirk at the sight. He wasn't really sure how Kurenai had managed to tame the CopyCat Ninja, but she had done so beautifully.

"Hey, Kakashi." He says and Kakashi waves at his former students with a smile before chasing off after his new family.

Actually, Sasuke understood how she tamed him. Kurenai was also wearing a bikini. No one could hold a candle to Hinata in his mind, but now he understood why the silver haired ninja was so perfectly whipped.

"Hey, how are you guys?" Kiba says as he ambles over with Shino.

"We're good. It's good to see you!" Hinata says.

She smiles. Now that she was an Academy Instructor, she didn't get field missions. So she saw Kiba and Shino less often than she used to. They were still friends though.

"You too." Shino and Kiba say in unison.

"Doggie!" Mikoto says when she notices Akamaru.

"Yes, doggie. A very big doggie." Sasuke says a bit warily.

He wasn't entirely certain about having a dog around his toddler that was that size. Aoda and Garuda were one thing. They were his Summons. They wouldn't attack his children. Other animals he was less sure about.

"Oh don't worry. Akamaru is great with kids." Kiba assures him, seeing Sasuke's concern.

"For your sake, you had better hope so." Sasuke mutters.

"Don't worry about Sasuke. He's just very protective of his little girl. She's got him wrapped around her little fingers." Naruto observes with a laugh.

Sasuke just shrugs in response. That was certainly true. He couldn't help it. Mikoto was his little Uchiha Princess and Hinata was his Queen. Seiko was his little prince and that was that.

"You'll understand one day, loser. I mean if any woman is dumb enough to agree to bare your children, that is. Of course, that would mean you would have to put your ramen down long enough to actually d-" Sasuke's taunting is cut off because Hinata covers his mouth.

"Sasuke!" She admonishes him.

Sasuke grumbles. Really? He couldn't even say it? It wasn't like he was going to go into explicit detail.

"Ha! Whipped!" Naruto teases him and Sasuke sneakily makes a rather rude gesture at Naruto with his hand, when Hinata wasn't looking.

The rest of the day passed without incident. By the end of it, Mikoto and Seiko were tired. The Uchihas quickly put their children to sleep and smiled as they watched them for a few minutes.

"They're so sweet." She observes.

"Yeah. They take more after you in that way." Sasuke agrees and he scoops Hinata up Bridal Style.

Hinata giggles and wraps her arms around her husband's neck. She liked it when he carried her this way. It was very romantic in her mind.

"Mmm if you keep that up, I'm going to be tempted to let you carry me everywhere." She warns him.

"I wouldn't mind." Sasuke assures her as he takes her back to their room.

The rest of the night was spent in a blur of tangled limbs and heated moans. This time, Hinata was the one who used the clones. This was much to Sasuke's enjoyment.

Sasuke knew one thing for sure. He was never going to get tired of being with his wife. Oh and he was very grateful for Soundproofing Jutsus.

"Mmm morning, beautiful." Sasuke greets her when they wake the next morning.

"Morning." Hinata says with a sweet smiles as she kisses him.

Thankfully, it was Saturday. They could stay in bed all day, if they wanted. Hinata was quite inclined to do exactly that. There were few things better than snuggling close to her husband after they made love.

"So do you think that we might have broken that tie? I would rather like to see the look on Hiashi's face when we have a third child." He says smugly.

"Sasuke, you are impossible sometimes. Honestly, I don't know who is more of a child, Seiko and Mikoto or you." She tells him with a giggle.

"I'm just saying that the look on his face would be priceless." Sasuke replies as he traces his hand over the curve of her hip suggestively.

Hinata shakes her head in amusement. Sasuke would always be Sasuke, she supposed. The man never let a grudge go.

"It's a little too soon to tell, but I have a feeling that this is going to be our second daughter." She says with a smile and places his hand on her stomach.

"I'd be happy either way. I love you and our family, but I guess we'll find out if you are right soon enough. In the meantime, we should keep trying. Just to be sure. Don't you think, Kitten?" He asks with a smirk and Hinata just nods her head in agreement as she kisses him.

"That sounds like a very good idea to me." She whispers, after breaking the kiss.

Hinata couldn't help but smile. To think that this all started because of a snowstorm. She had a loving husband and most likely she would soon have three wonderful children. Though she doubted they'd stop at three, Sasuke was rather committed to Clan Restoration.

While she regretted that her relationship with her father would likely forever be strained, she couldn't regret her actions on that night. She loved her new life. That's when she smelled smoke.

"Sasuke, do you smell that?" She asks.

"Yeah. Come on." He says as they quickly throw on their bathrobes and go to investigate.

Sure enough, there was some smoke coming out of Mikoto's room. The frantic parents rush inside to make sure she was okay. Mikoto was apparently okay. Her wall not so much.

"Seiko, why did you use that in the house?!" Hinata asks.

"Little sister was scared of the spider. So I got rid of it." Seiko says proudly and Mikoto claps in agreement.

"That's our son. He's already protecting his little sister. " Sasuke says smugly and Hinata just shakes her head in amusement.

Really, what else could she do? She supposed that was just what happened when you had children with an Uchiha. Fireballs came with the territory.


End file.
